


I Love You a Latte

by RinSexyMatsuoka



Series: ILYAL 'verse [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Attack on Titan Crossover, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Homophobia, I love cliche titles, Jealousy, KNB Crossover, M/M, POV First Person, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slow Build, Smut, and a tattoo, basically some snk characters make an appearance, haru wears sweaters, haru writes poetry, pop culture references, rin has piercings, sosuke is jealous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-09
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-02-20 11:57:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 170,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2427866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinSexyMatsuoka/pseuds/RinSexyMatsuoka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cliche AU because the world will never have enough of these. Rin Matusoka is 19 and works at the Sharkbait Cafe with his best friend (and the rest of the Samezuka crew). His normal day gets a little brighter when a guy with deep blue eyes comes to the cafe, and Rin is immediately drawn to the sweater-wearing boy. He makes it his mission to find out the guy's name, and maybe even be friends with the cute stranger. Cue new friendships, jealousy, and the blossoming of love, all while he tries to figure out his passion in life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coffee and Sweaters

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my cliche RinHaru AU! With a cliche title because why not? I really hope you guys like this, because I am having a ton of fun writing this. I hope to update every week. I have two chapters already written, so let's hope I'm consistent! Though I'm posting this on a Wednesday night, I might make my updates Sunday or something. I'm still figuring it out.  
> Anyway! Enjoy chapter 1!!  
> (P.S. I have no idea how cafes and coffee shops work, since I've never actually been to one...not really anyway. If I get anything wrong on how they work, have mercy on my soul and let's just leave it to my creativeness...or something)  
> You can hit me up on tumblr, too! (sharkbait-rin) I'll be posting Free! stuff, randomness, but most importantly, ILYAL related things! I'll post announcements when a new chapter is up, and any new projects I'm working on (which will be quite a few in the future, so follow if you want to be in the loop when I announce them!) Plus, you can ask me whatever you want about this story, and I'll be happy to answer.  
> 

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

I groaned, rolling over on my mattress and blindly searching for a pillow. When the soft fabric brushed my hand, I pulled the fluffy object over my head in a pitiful attempt to block out that annoying sound coming from somewhere to my right.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

It was no use, really, but somewhere in my sleep-clouded mind I thought that maybe, just maybe, the infernal device would magically shut off and I could go back to sleep and continue the amazing dream I had been so rudely ripped out of.

No such luck, but that’s my life.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Groaning even louder this time, I sat up, my eyes still closed as I felt around beside me. As soon as my hand came in contact with my alarm clock, I pressed down on it with probably more force than was necessary. But then again, I hated mornings, so you can’t really blame me for trying to murder the damn thing for waking me up.

I finally pried my eyes open, blinking a few times to be able to see clearly. I was greeted with the sight of my room, an averaged sized space that was perfect for me. The wall to my left was covered in posters of different bands; American, Korean, Japanese, it didn’t matter. I loved them all, as long as the music was good. There was a CD rack too, filled with cases of music that varied from pop to rock to everything else. Except Country. Not a big fan of Country.

The light streaming through the window fell directly on my collection of stuffed sharks, Okay, I know not a lot of people would expect a guy like me to have a collection of shark plushies, but what can I say? I have a thing for sharks, and the plushies are cute. Don’t judge me.

Other than a full length mirror to my right and a couple of photos of my sister and friends, that was pretty much it for my room. I was thinking of putting up more posters maybe, but I haven’t gotten the time lately.

Speaking of time, I looked over to my clock and saw the bright red numbers staring back at me: 6:03 a.m. Who the hell wakes up at 6 in the morning?! Oh right, that would be me because I have to open up the cafe with Sosuke today. Still, I hated waking up at the asscrack of dawn, but I had to be a productive human being and fit in with society.

So, I reluctantly threw off my comfortable maroon comforter and stood, stretching my arms over my head. It was chilly, but that was mostly because I slept in nothing but my boxers, even thought it was October now and starting to get colder. I’d probably have to start wearing pajamas soon.

I pushed my wine red hair out of my face and  trudged out of my room, going down the hall of my apartment and heading to the bathroom. Nothing like a hot shower to warm me up and get my day started.

As soon as the door was closed behind me, I stripped off my boxers and stepped into the shower. Turning the water on, I stepped back for a moment, letting the water reach a nice temperature before getting under the spray. As soon as the hot water hit my skin, I let out a content sigh. It felt like the water was burning my skin, but in the best of ways as it slowly seeped out the rest of my drowsiness and washed it down the drain.

I knew I couldn’t spend too long in there if I wanted to eat before heading out, so I quickly soaped myself up before rinsing off. I spent a bit more time on my hair, making sure it was nice and clean. Ten minutes later, I turned off the shower and pulled the curtain aside, brushing back my wet locks. I dried myself off with a fluffy white towel before wrapping it around my waist stepping out onto the cool tile of the bathroom floor.

Mist had fogged up the mirror, which I quickly wiped off so I could see my face reflected back at me. I stared into my own red eyes for a moment before opening a drawer and pulling out my blow dryer. There was no way I was leaving the apartment with wet hair. Once my hair was acceptable, I exited the bathroom and went back to my room to put some clothes on. I searched through my closet, trying to decide what I should wear for the day. Sure, the shirt didn’t matter much since it would be hidden behind my work apron anyway, but I still wanted to look good. As soon as I had my outfit laid out on my bed, I turned to look at myself in the mirror.

I don’t like to brag, really, but I have to say I have a really nice body. Thanks to all that time spent at the gym, my muscles were well defined. They weren’t too over the top, but I was lean and I had some great abs. Pair that with the tribal shark tattoo on my right shoulder blade, and I would dare to call myself hot.

I grabbed my boxers from my bed and slipped them on, followed by the harder part: getting into my jeans. I almost always wear skinny jeans, and today I decided to go with on of my favorites: a dark blue pair that hugged my legs and showed off my ass. After the torturous process of fitting into them, I threw on a form fitting red v-neck that showed just a hint of muscle underneath. Once that was done, I went over to my dresser to dig out a few accessories. I slipped a bracelet onto my wrist and a chain around my neck, and figured that was enough for a casual day. Of course, I couldn’t forget about the array of piercings that sat waiting for me on my dresser, which I grabbed and headed to the mirror once more to put them in.

I have a lot of piercings that I’m proud of, and I don’t regret any of the ones I’ve gotten. On each ear, I have two helix piercings, and I put in those hoops first. I have an eyebrow piercing for my left brow, and a pair of spider bites right under my lip on the left side. All of those are little silver balls that I carefully put in. Last but not least, there was my single tongue piercing. Not many people knew about this one, since it’s hard to tell unless I’m sticking my tongue right at them.

With all that done, I checked the time and quickly made my way to the kitchen after one last once over of myself. I decided to have a quick breakfast of eggs and toast, since I was running short on time. I had to be at the cafe at 6:30, and I only have ten minutes left to eat and get there on time.

I scarfed down my food and put the dishes in the sink; I could wash those when I got back. I put on my converse sneakers. pocketed my keys and wallet, and made sure I had my phone with me. Last, I grabbed my favorite black beanie from it’s spot on the coat rack and carefully slid it onto my head, making sure my hair was still good.

Finally, I was able step out the front door and lock it behind me. I traveled down the two flights of stairs it took to reach the ground before checking the time again. Thankfully, my workplace wasn’t far from where I lived, so I was able to walk at my own pace and enjoy the chilly morning air. It probably wasn’t the best idea to wear short sleeves now that the weather was changing, but I knew it would get warmer as the day went on.

The streets were practically deserted at this time, most people just now waking up for work or school. It made my short walk to the cafe even quicker, and soon I found myself standing in front of a cafe. The sign said Sharkbait Cafe, with the picture of a mini shark diving into a coffee cup. Don’t ask me why the place is named that; I think the owner has as much a thing for sharks as I do.

“Oi, Rin. Glad to see you’re not late, though you were cutting it a bit close.”

At the sound of my name, I looked over to see my best friend, Sosuke, standing by the doors to the shop. He wore a simple t-shirt with a thin, zippable blue hoodie coupled with a pair of jeans. His teal eyes held my gaze as I walked over to him, pulling out my keys.

“Yo, Sosuke,” I said, nudging him aside so I could unlock the doors. “What are you talking about? You know I’m always on time.”

“Yeah, but I know how you are in the mornings,” he replied with  a shrug, following me inside once the door was unlocked.

The Sharkbait Cafe was a cozy little place that gave off a warm feeling. It was painted in cool colors that reminded me of the ocean, and the windows let in a lot of natural light to brighten the place up. There were small tables scattered around and a few booths by the windows for people who wanted a little more of a private setting. With the availability of free WiFi and the soothing smell of coffee, it was the perfect place for students. Young people and older folks came in, and thankfully we had enough to business to keep us going at a steady rate.

The owner, Old Man Mikoshiba as I liked to call him, opened this place with his wife a few years back. Funnily enough, I had only seen them about twice since I joined the staff last year. They both liked to travel, leaving the cafe in the capable hands of their eldest son, Seijuurou. Sei’s 21, two years older than me and attending college. He takes care of the baking the cakes and desserts we offer here, with his younger brother helping him. He sometimes had early morning classes, like today, so we made sure to have a sign stating that sweets could only be order after 10:00 on Tuesdays. And on Tuesdays, I was left with the job of opening the cafe in his place. I’m proud to say that he trusts me, and we've become good friends over the time I've spent employed here. He bumped me up to assistant manager a few months ago, and when I asked him why (because really, I’d only been working there for a few months at the time), he said I was reliable and had spirit, and that I was easy to work with. Not to mention I did the job well.

I usually have one of the other workers with me when I open up, and today I had Sosuke. We talked a bit about random stuff as we headed to the back to put on our aprons. In contrast to the cool color of the cafe, the aprons were red and black. There was the same shark printed on it as the sign outside, and we had our names on the left breast pocket.

“I really hate the early shifts,” I said to Sosuke as we started preparing for the first customers after flipping the “closed” sign to “open”. “It cuts into my running, so I have to make it up later or spend more time at the gym.”

“Don’t complain,” he told me, setting up the different sized cups by the coffee machine. “At least you’re getting paid for your work. And it’s not like you have to open the cafe everyday.”

I shrugged, leaning on the counter and staring at the door, waiting for someone to come in.

“I know, but I’m feeling a bit restless right now.” I glanced over to him as he finished setting everything up, meeting his eyes. “You have classes today, right?”

He nodded, leaning next to me joining me in watching the door. “I have a class at 11 today. But I’m going to be back as soon as it’s over to resume my shift.”

“Hmm.” I hummed in response.

Everyone else around me was going to college and studying to be something great. Sosuke and Sei were majoring in Criminology and would no doubt get high paying jobs doing something they loved. Me? I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I didn’t even enroll in college. At 19, I guess it would be best to really start thinking about my future, but I was able to pay all my bills with the money I made here, so I hadn’t given  it much thought. The real problem was that I didn’t really know what it was that I wanted to do. I was smart, sure. I had straight A’s in high school (no one would guess that from my appearance), and my English was good. I could be a ton of different things, but I just didn't know what interested me.

I sighed, lost in my thoughts. Sosuke chuckled from beside me, giving me a playful shove with his shoulder.

“Stop thinking, Rin. It’s dangerous,” he said with a grin.

I just rolled my eyes, straightening up when the bell chimed to let us know that a customer had come in. It was an older woman, her hair graying and a sweater covering her bony shoulders. Sosuke moved behind me, ready to get going as soon as I took her order. As she approached me, I saw her expression turn into one of shock, he eyes scanning my face.

Ah, it seemed she was new here.

Most people that came to the shop knew who I was, or were at least used to the silver that decorated my face. The ones who were new immediately wrote me off as a punk because of my piercings; that is, until they got to know me.

I was wondering whether or not the lady would leave now when she came to stop in front of me. I offered her a smile, one that was easy for me since I was not the mean delinquent everyone associated with my appearance.

“Good morning, ma’am, how can I help you today?” I asked pleasantly, watching and trying  to hold back my laughter as her eyebrows shot up. Guess she wasn’t expecting me to be so nice.

“Oh um,” she said, trying to gather herself, “I’m sorry, but do you serve tea here, or is it just coffee?”

“We do serve tea, actually. The menu is right here, if you’d like to take a look at it.” I pointed to a board behind me with all the different kinds of tea we served. The coffee menu had a different board.

“Splendid,” she said, squinting at the menu board before looking back at me. “I’d like a Jasmine tea to go please, dear.”

I gave her another smile, now that it seemed she wasn’t scared of me. “One Jasmine, coming right up,” I replied before getting started on the order. I wondered what she was doing up so early. Did she go to work? Did she decide to stop by a new cafe before going on a walk? I always found it fun to try and guess what was going on  in the lives of the people that came by, even if I would never actually find out. It made the day go by faster.

Once the tea was made, I turned to the lady to hand it to her. She handed over the right amount of yen for the drink, before giving me a smile of her own.

“Thank you, dear,” she said.

“Have a nice day!” I replied, and soon she was out of the shop, leaving me alone with Sosuke once again. “Oi, Sosuke.” I looked over my shoulder at him. “Did you see how she looked at me when she came in? She was so shocked, especially when I turned out to be nice,” I finished with a laugh.

“Well maybe if you didn’t have so much metal in your face, you wouldn’t give people the wrong impression.”

I raised my pierced brow at him. “Don’t act like you don’t like my piercings. Besides, this goes to show how many people judge a book by its cover. They don’t know I’m nice until they talk to me.”

“They also don’t know you’re a softie who cries easily and owns a collection of shark plushies,” Sosuke teased with a smirk.

I was held back from an angry response by the bell jingling once more.

* * *

 

Sei came in at 9, and by that time we had a few customers sitting at the tables. It was slow in the mornings, so Sosuke and I were able to manage it easily. Still, it was a bit of a relief when I saw the shock of crimson hair approaching the cafe. The bell jingled when he stepped in, carrying his messenger bag and dressed in long a sleeved black shirt and black jeans. He made his way over behind the counter, stopping at giving me a look.

“Hey, Matsuoka,” he said using my surname, which meant I was about to be told off for something. “Hat, off.”

I sighed, having forgotten that he didn’t allow any kinds of hats to be worn by the employees. I slipped my beanie off my head, tossing it to him so he could put in the back with his bag.

“And what did I tell you about wearing those jeans to work?” He asked, staring at my legs with a critical look. “The customers can’t read the menu if they’re too busy staring at your ass.”

At this, I grinned, turning back toward the front when I heard the bell jingle again. “I can’t help it if I have a nice ass, Sei.”

If I looked back, I’m sure I would have seen him shaking his head at me before walking off. As it was, I had to focus on the next customer, so I couldn’t let my mind wander anymore.

As I finished handing over the coffees to some guy and his girlfriend (the girl would not stop staring at me), the other two employees at the cafe came in. One was Momotarou Mikoshiba, Sei’s younger brother who was always full of energy, as if he spent the entire day drinking the coffee he brewed. The other employee was a shy guy with silvery hair and blue eyes: Aiichiro Nitori. Ai seemed to look up to me, and that made me a bit proud, if not annoyed at some times. Both of them were in their freshman year of college, working at the cafe part time.

“Good morning, Rin-senpai!” Ai greeted me. I told him a few times that calling me senpai wasn’t needed, even if I was his senpai at the workplace. He didn’t listen, so I eventually gave up.

“Hey, Ai,” I responded from my place at the register.

While Sosuke and I manned the registers and made coffee, Ai and Momo joined Sei in the kitchen to bake. Ai wanted to learn everything, so he rotated between jobs. As for me, my specialty are lates, and I'm known for my latte art. I can make just about anything out of the foam, and I sometimes had people even request specific things.

As I was mindlessly drumming my fingers on the counter, Sosuke jabbed me in the side with his elbow.

"Ow, what?" I asked, sending him a glare.

He smirked before giving an almost unnoticeable nod toward the door, and I looked over to see what he was referring to.

Two girls, teenagers a little younger than me by the looks of it, stood huddled together by the doors. They were whispering to each other, and I saw the brown haired girl point at me, earning a giggle from her blond friend. It clicked then, and I knew why Sosuke was smirking. He coughed, trying to hide his laughter and I looked at him, unimpressed.

"Oi, don't laugh," I said.

"Sorry, I can't help it. Those poor girls have no clue they're about to get rejected." He shook his head in amusement, as if this situation was hilarious to him.

I rolled my eyes at him, watching as the girls approached, the blond one in the lead. He cheeks were dusted in a pink hue, and I already knew I was going to feel bad after this. Her brunette friend went up to Sosuke to order, and I had to wonder why they couldn't hit on him instead. He was good looking too.

"Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe," I greeted, putting on a smile and hoping coffee was the only thing the blond girl wanted. "How can I help you today?"

She giggled, though I'm not sure why. I only greeted her. I'd have to ask Gou about the female mind sometime.

"I'd like a caramel macchiato, please," she practically purred, which creeped me out just a bit. Thankfully, I was used to girls hitting on me, though the girls always ended up being disappointed.

"One caramel macchiato, coming right up!" I got to work making the coffee, keeping my eyes on the machine.

"Why don't you take a break and join me?" She asked, playing with the end of her short blond hair. "Rin." She added, glancing at my name tag.

I heard Sosuke barely disguise a snort with a cough next to me, and I wanted to send him a death glare. It was not funny.

"Sorry, but I'm not allowed a break until my actual break time," I apologized, not really feeling sorry at all.

The girl pouted. She probably thought she looked cute, but I didn't know much about that.

"Then how about you give me your number, and we can hang out sometime when you're free?" She suggested. Was she really younger than me?

Thankfully, I was saved from answering at the moment because the coffee was done. The bell jingled behind her and she moved out of the way to dig out her money, and I put the lid on her to-go cup.

I took a deep breath, and turned back around to tell the girl that she was never getting my number.

Instead, I came face to face with a pair of deep blue eyes that took my breath away.

I froze, drink clutched tightly in hand as I stared at the face in front of me. The guy had dark hair, his bangs stopping just short of his eyes, and one lock sitting right between those pools of blue. His eyes went slightly wide when he saw me, probably because he wasn't expecting so much metal on my face, but his expression quickly morphed back to an impassive expression.

"Rin, the coffee," I heard Sosuke next to me. His voice snapped me out of my trance, and I blinked, looking down at my hand. Oh yeah, I was supposed to give this to the girl.

I quickly faced the girl, a bit embarrassed to be caught staring like that. She handed over the yen for the coffee, her fingers brushing mine as she took the cup.

"So how about that number?" She asked, seemingly unfazed by the delay.

I inwardly sighed, knowing that she wouldn't leave me alone unless I told her straight out.

Straight. Ha.

"Sorry miss, but I'm gay. As much as I'd love to, I can't go on a date with you," I told her with a smile, watching as her expression morphed into one of shock.

"Oh.. Oh I.. Oh. Okay." She said, looking completely lost. "Thanks for the coffee."

And with that, she left with her friend, whispering frantically to each other. Now I once again faced those beautiful pools of blue, taking note that the guy had not moved at all.

"Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe," I gave the mandatory greeting, feeling slightly breathless. What was it about those eyes that made me feel as if they were staring right into my soul? "What can I get for you today?"

His expression didn't change as he glanced at the menu behind me for just a second.

"A cinnamon dolce latte," he responded. His voice was soft and smooth, quiet as if he didn't talk much. To me, it was a nice change from the often loud customers.  

"Cinnamon dolce, coming right up!"

I could feel Sosuke and the sweater guy watching me, and I suddenly felt as if I had been put on the spot. Still, I went about making the coffee with confidence. I chanced another glance back at the blue-eyed guy, feeling heat rise to my cheeks seeing him still staring at me. I noticed he had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and clipped onto the zipper was a mini plastic dolphin.

That gave me an idea, and I worked my latte magic quickly. A minute later, I held out the coffee for him.

"One cinnamon dolce latte," I said, giving him a grin. He looked down at the coffee, and I was happy to see a little sparkle in his eye when he saw the foam of the latte. It resembled a dolphin.

"Thank you," he said, taking the cup from me. He gave me a smile, and I felt the back of my neck heating up too. That smile could cure cancer, I'm sure.

"Anytime," I replied as he paid for his drink. With one last glance at me, the guy made his way over to a vacant table by the window. It was now that I noticed what he was wearing. He had on dark jeans and a pair of sneakers. His messenger back was blue and white, the little blue dolphin bouncing happily as he walked. He wore a navy blue v-neck sweater, the white of the shirt underneath peeking out from the neck. The sleeves of the sweater were a bit too long, leaving only his fingertips visible.

I watched in a daze as he took a sip of his coffee, before setting the cup down and unzipping his bag. He took out a notebook and pencil, flipping through the pages before settling on one, a look of concentration overtaking his features.

"Rin, focus." I was once again pulled from my staring by Sosuke, who was giving me a strange look that I couldn't quite place. "I'm leaving for class now. Ai will join you at the register, so you're in charge of making sure he does it right."

I nodded. "Right, don't worry. I won't let him mess up."

He gave me a calculating look, then let his gaze flicker over to sweater-guy before focusing on me again. "I'll see you in an hour and a half."

With a pat on the shoulder, he left me to go put up his apron and grab his bag. The look he gave me was strange, but I didn't have time to dwell on it because a second later, a very enthusiastic Ai joined me.

"Rin-senpai! That dolphin you made out of the latte foam was incredible!"

I gave him a grin, showing of my pointy teeth. "It just takes practice. You'll get there if you work hard."

He nodded his head frantically, promising me that he would do his best.

The day passed by quickly, and occasionally I would glance over to the table by the window, glad for reason that sweater-guy hadn't left yet. He spent his time scribbling in his notebook, and it made me curious as to what he could be writing. He looked about my age, so I guessed he was in college and working on some assignment. The sleeves of his sweater covered his knuckles as he wrote, and I wondered if it was hard writing like that. He seemed to be used to it though, so I didn't linger on the thought.

Sosuke came back around 12:45, and the first thing he did was look over at the guy who was still writing nonstop. I heard Sosuke scoff, and I raised an eyebrow at him. All I got in return was a shake of his head.

It was 2:00 when I noticed sweater-guy getting up from his table. I was busy with a customer, so I couldn't let my gaze linger too long. But as the guy was about to leave, I caught him looking at me for just a second. When our eyes met, he sent me a small smile that felt like electricity running down my spine.

And as he opened the door and stepped outside, I wished I could have known his name.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to "I Love You a Latte", guys!


	2. The Lit Major

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweater-Guy comes again to the Cafe, and Rin makes sure he gets a name this time.

Was it normal to think about a customer so much?

I mean, I’ve had cute customers before, but I’ve never thought about them for a more than a few minutes after they left. But there was something about that guy in the sweater that held my attention, and I couldn’t get him out of my head for the rest of the day. Those blue eyes were like the ocean, and that sweater really did look cute on him. I wished I could have gotten  his name, but it was too late. I didn’t even know if he would come back the next day.

The cafe opened and closed early on Tuesdays, so I was free to go at 6 p.m. I usually worked from opening to closing anyway, since I was assistant manager. Sei locked up the place and the five of us went our separate ways, Sosuke following me home.

“Let me just get changed and then we can head to the gym,” I said, leading him up the three flights of stairs to get to my front door.

“I’ll be waiting right here,” he responded, plopping down on the couch in my living room and picking up the TV remote. I left him there, going to my room grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. I changed quickly, or as quick as I could with how tight my jeans were. I pulled my hair back into a small ponytail, grabbed my gym bag, and joined Sosuke again.

“Come on,” I said, passing by him and entering the kitchen. I opened up the fridge and pulled out two water bottles, tossing one to him.

I left the house for the second time that day, my best friend following close behind me. We made light conversation as we walked to the nearby gym, talking about anything and everything. Still, my mind was filled with deep blue eyes and sweaters, and it’s a wonder I managed to keep talking while distracted.

Thankfully, it didn’t take us long to get to the gym, and the two of us stepped inside the world of weight and fitness. It was nice place that offered a ton of different things, even boxing. I’ve never tried it myself, though, not with all the piercings that could seriously hurt if I got punched in the face. So instead, I headed over to my usual spot by the weights, bypassing a few other guys that were hard at work.

“Spot me and I’ll spot you,” I offered, settling one of the benches after adding the desired amount of weight to the bar.

“Deal,” Sosuke replied, coming up behind me and watching me stretch my muscles as I prepared. “You know, when you stretch like that, it looks like your shark tattoo is having a seizure.”

I laid down, rolling my eyes up at him. “Oh, shut up. I personally can’t see it, but I bet it looks like it’s racing through the water.You’re just too critical about everything.”

“What you call critical, I call common sense. Now, hurry up and lift, I want my turn too.”

We spent the next forty-five minutes or so lifting weight, taking short breaks in between to keep ourselves from pushing it too much. At one point, Sosuke took off his shirt, not wanting it to get too sweaty. Afterwards, I hit the treadmill, plugging my earbuds into my phone and blasting music while I jogged. Though I was tired after the long day at work, it felt good to use the last of my energy towards something that kept me healthy.

By the end of our workout, two hours had gone by and we were both drenched with sweat. My tank top clung to my skin as I opened up my gym bag and pulled out two towels. Handing one to Sosuke, I pressed my face into the fluffy white material, catching my breath. The gym was mostly empty now, ad closing time was fast approaching.

The two of us stayed a little bit longer, cooling off before we headed home. We didn’t talk, but the silence was comfortable, just like it was always was between us. Eventually though, I knew I had to move if I didn’t want to fall asleep right there, so I reluctantly got to my feet, draining the last of my water and slinging my bag over my shoulder once again.

Sosuke followed my lead, and together we stepped out into the chilly night air. It was past 8:00 now, and the sun had long since set.

“Do you want to come over?” I asked, pushing my red locks away from my eyes.

Sosuke shook his head, offering me a smile. “I can’t. I have an assignment to work on, and it’s due tomorrow.”

“College really sucks, but I admire the way you work hard, Sosuke. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” I flashed him a grin and offered up my fist, which he proceeded to bump with his own.

“Later.” He turned and headed in the opposite direction while I began my last walk of the day.

When I got home, the first thing I did was head to the bathroom and take a nice, long shower. I didn’t bother with clothes, since I lived alone anyway. Instead, I ended up on the couch in nothing but my boxers, flipping through the channels on TV while sipping an energy drink. The rest of the evening passed by like that, and when I finally went to bed, it was with the hope that a certain guy in a sweater would be back.

* * *

 

The next day, the cafe didn’t open until 9, so I was able to sleep a little bit longer. At 8:00, I got up and put on a pair of sweats, a tank top, and a thin hoodie. Grabbing my phone and earbuds, I went for a refreshing morning run to get my pumping.

When I got back a half hour later, I went through my usual morning routine. Today I wore another tight pair of skinny jeans, these ones black. I decided to pair that with a white band t-short of an American band called Panic! At The Disco. Once I was dressed and had eaten breakfast, I pulled on my beanie and headed to work.

At 9:00 on the dot, I was walking through the doors of the cafe. As I went to start setting up the coffee machines, I was greeted by Sei, who was the only one there other than myself.

"Hat, Rin," he reminded me as he headed back to the kitchen.

I took my beanie off and instead tied the apron around my waist.

I hummed to myself as I went about my business, barely looking up when Sosuke walked through the door.

We exchanged greetings, helping Sei put the freshly baked desserts into the display underneath the countertop. We were all set to go, and a customer walked through the doors at that very moment.

It was a man dressed in a business suit. I watched as Sosuke took his order - black coffee and a muffin to go - and wondered what it would be like to have a normal suit-and-tie job. Not for me, that's for sure. I couldn't see myself in one of those suits everyday, especially with my piercings. No company would ever hire me.

Time slowly ticked by as I mused about different careers. Customers came and left, and soon enough Momo and Ai clocked in the for the day too.

It was just another ordinary day, but I found myself glancing up at the clock every few minutes. Would he come again? Or was it just a one time thing? I had no clue what his schedule was, but I hoped I could see him at least one more time, just so I could get his name.

As the clock neared 11, the bell jingled and I looked up from the customer I had just served. A huge grin spread across my face when, sure enough, sweater guy came walking up to the counter.

Today he wore a white sweater with a light blue trim, the sleeves once again just a tiny bit too long. His messenger bag hung from his shoulder, one hand holding the strap.

"Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe," I greeted with a smile, drawn into those mysterious blue eyes. "What can I get for you today?"

"A cinnamon dolce will be fine," he said in that soft voice of his, his expression showing no emotion.

"Got it." I went about making the coffee, putting extra care into it. After a moment of thought, I worked my magic to make the foam of the latte look like a shark. Satisfied with my work, I held out the cup to Sweater Guy, who took it with a small smile and a soft 'thanks'.

I opened my mouth to ask him his name, but was interrupted by the next customer, who I hadn't even noticed by now. I was left to watch Sweater Guy go find a table by the window as I served the customer.

That was my one chance today, and now it was gone. I wouldn't be able to leave the register, and I had no idea how long he would be staying. My chances of getting his name, or even talking to him, we thrown right out the window.

I went about my duties, slightly disheartened throwing glances over at Sweater Guy every chance I got. He had pulled his notebook out again, and twirling a pencil in his hand while sipping his coffee. The cafe wasn't very busy, so I was able to openly stare at him for long periods of time, thankful that he seemed too engrossed in whatever he was writing to notice.

I was vaguely aware of Sei moving somewhere behind me until he called my name.

"Hm?" I responded, not breaking my longing gaze aimed toward Sweater Guy.

"Stop drooling over that guy in the sweater," he scolded, lightly smacking me on the back of my head.

I rubbed my head, muttering about not drooling. Sei just looked from me to Sweater Guy, then around the shop before fixing his gaze on me again.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Why don't you go on your break now? I have a feeling you'll be too distracted until you talk to him, and the cafe's not too busy right now."

I instantly brightened up, grinning broadly. "Really? I can take my break now?" I asked, feeling like I've never loved the crimson haired man more than I did now.

"As long as you promise to actually do your job and focus when you get back."

"Deal!" I clapped him on the back, throwing Sosuke a triumphant grin. The less-than-happy look I got back was a bit confusing, but didn't stop me from hastily untying my apron. "Thank, Sei!"

I rushed to the back to hang up my apron, passing by Momo and Ai, who shot me surprised looks. I was excited, and I wasn't even sure exactly why. I was just going to talk to Sweater Guy, and that was if he didn't blow me off. Still, the thought of hearing his soft voice speak more than two sentences sent a thrill through me.

I found myself back by the coffee machines, not noticing the way Sosuke was eyeing me. I made myself a Pumpkin Spice Latte, grateful for the employee discount. With the coffee in my hands, I took a deep breath and made my way across the cafe to where Sweater Guy was sitting, absorbed in his notebook.

I hesitated for just a second before stopping by his table.

"Hey," I said, watching as he looked up, seemingly surprised to find me there. "Is it alright if I sit here?"

The light streaming through the window made his eyes shine in a way that reminded me of the ocean on a hot summer day, and I quickly became fond of that image.

"... Sure." He said, and I could feel my smile grow wider as I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down.

He sipped his coffee as he watched me curiously, and I tried to think of what to say. I probably should have thought of something earlier, but I figured I could just wing it. I only had half an hour before I had to get back to work.

"How's the coffee?" I asked, taking a gulp of my own and managing not wince when it burned my throat and tongue. Still too hot.

"It's good," he said, looking down at his cup and peeking at me from beneath his bangs. "I like what you do with the foam. It's interesting."

It was a simple compliment, but it had me feeling a rush of pride and happiness, and I was pretty sure my grin was permanently stuck on my face now.

"Thanks, it's actually kind of fun to see people's reactions when they see the art." He hummed in response, and I thought now was a good time to get a name out of Sweater Guy. "I'm Rin, by the way. Rin Matsuoka."

He regarded me for a moment before responding, voice as soft as ever.

"I'm Haru. Haruka Nanase."

Haru. The name fit him, oddly enough, and I could have laughed at how both of our names sounded so girly. As it was though, I was just happy to finally have something other to call him than Sweater Guy, though I would miss that nickname I had come to think so fondly of.

"Haru," I repeated, testing the name on my tongue and finding I quite enjoyed the feel of it. "Nice to meet you. "

"You too." Though his responses were short, I had a feeling that's just how he was. He didn't seem like a very talkative person, but I was okay with that.

His gaze flickered down to his notebook, and he picked up his pencil to scribble something down before returning his eyes to me.

I was curious and wanted him to talk to more, so I sat back in my chair and vowed to make this half hour meaningful and learn as much as I could about Haru.

"What're you writing?" I asked. He immediately pulled his notebook a little closer to himself.

There was pause that made me wonder if he would even respond before he spoke a single word: "... Poetry."

I could have died right then and there.

Soft-spoken, wore sweaters, and wrote poetry? He was the exact opposite of me and the definition of cute. All he needed now were roses popping up around him like some kind of anime, and I would be sure he was the main love interest of some kind of cheesy romance (or maybe he was?).

"I'm a literature major, so I write a lot," he said in my silence. That peeked my interest, and I immediately took my chance.

"Oh, so you go to college?"

He nodded, twirling the pencil in his hand. "I'm a Sophomore."

A sophomore would make him the same age as me. I was thrilled with every new detail I learned about Haru. Literature seemed to suit him, and I thought it was amazing that he could devote himself to something like that.

"So you like to write, huh?"

He gave another nod, bringing the coffee cup to his lips. I remembered my own beverage and did the same, the liquid having cooled down quite by now.

"It's... Refreshing." Haru looked at me then, a spark in his eye that hadn't been there before. "It feels good to get my thoughts out on paper. To use the written word to convey my thoughts or spin out a story. The possibilities are endless, and it's always a challenge to try and put feeling into words that may be read completely differently by someone else."

He stopped, looking a bit surprised that he had shared all that with me.

I enjoyed it though, and wished he would continue. Seeing Haru talk so passionately about literature made me want to have something like that too, something would spark something inside me which I could devote all my time to.

I smiled, completely drawn to the guy sitting in front of me and nursing a cup of coffee.

"I admire that."

His eyes locked with mine, eyebrows raised ever so slightly.

"I admire people who do things they love so passionately," I continued. "People who have a goal and work toward it. I can tell that you love literature - poetry - and I admire that."

The smile I received made me feel something I hadn't felt in years; a strange feeling in my stomach that could only be identified as one thing: butterflies.

"I do love it," Haru said, setting his cup down and finally giving his full attention to me. "And... It's nice finding people who don't laugh when they hear about it."

I furrowed my brows. "Who the hell would laugh at something like that?" Haru shrugged, but it was clear that he had experienced it before. "The assholes who would are probably just dicks who're jealous. I wish I had something I was so passionate about. Too bad lit isn't my thing."

"Don't you have something you like to do?" Now it was Haru's turn to ask the questions, and I couldn't help but be happy.

"No, nothing really stands out to me. I've never liked doing something so much that I want to make a career out of it or something like that. That's probably why I admire people like you; you have something to strive for, something I can only wish to have someday."

"Your coffee is amazing," he offered, completely serious. I chuckled at that, leaning my chin in my palm.

"Yeah, but I don't really wanna make coffee for the rest of my life."

We settled into silence, me finishing up the last of my late while Haru stared at his notebook for a while. When he raised his head again, he opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Sosuke calling to me from his place at the register.

"Rin, you're break's over! Get back to work."

I groaned, feeling like that was the fastest thirty minutes of my life. I grabbed my cup and stood up, not wanting to say goodbye to Haru.

"Rin." The sound of my name coming from Haru's lips sent a jolt through me, and I snapped my head up to find him fixing me with a serious expression. "You'll find your passion someday, just wait and see. But don't stop looking for it; make the effort and one day it will all pay off."

I grinned, standing up a bit straighter. "Thanks, Haru. I'll keep that in mind."

Sosuke called out to me again, his tone slightly annoyed now.

"I have to get back to work," I said, really wishing I could stay and chat some more. Haru turned out to be a really interesting guy. "But I hope to see you around here again. Maybe we can talk again on one my breaks."

Haru nodded, eyes scanning the cafe. "I like it here. The atmosphere is nice. I think I'll be coming around more often."

"Then I really look forward to next time. Later, Haru."

I left him there by the window, walking back to get my apron before taking my spot next to Sosuke. I let my eyes wander over to Haru once more, and he looked back, our gazes meeting. I gave him a smile, and he held eye contact for a moment before focusing on his writing again.

As much as I wanted to keep staring, I had promised Sei to focus, so I did just that. I took orders and made them, replaying out conversation in my head and wondering how much more I could learn about Haru. I had only just scratched the surface.

"Haru's an interesting guy," I said, jumping slightly when Sosuke closed the register a little too hard. "Whoa, you okay?"

"Fine," came his clipped response. I leaned over to look at his face, puzzled by his carefully blank expression. "Haru? Is that his name?"

"Yeah." My tone was cautious as I analyzed Sosuke's expression. "Haruka Nanase. He studies literature."

"Hmm. I don't know, that sounds pretty normal to me."

"Really? I think it's cool. Hey, is something bothering you?" I had a feeling like I was missing something, and I detected just a hint of bitterness in his voice. I had no idea why, though, as I racked my brain for something I might have said.

"No, it's nothing. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. That assignment kept me up pretty late."

I couldn't shake the feeling that he was lying, though. Knowing Sosuke for as long as I have, I was tuned into these kinds of things. Still, he obviously didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't push.

"If you say so..."

From that point on, the shop got busier, and I was too caught up in my work and stealing glances at Haru to worry much about my friend. It was around 3 when I noticed movement near the window, and looking over I saw Haru gathering his things. It was nice having him in the shop, even if we didn't get to talk, so it was kind of sad to see him walk over to the glass doors.

Before he pushed them open, he paused and looked back, catching my eye. He raised his hand in farewell, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling like a maniac and waving back.

In a short 48 hours, my life at the Sharkbait Cafe had gotten a whole lot brighter. And it had everything to do with blue eyes and sweaters.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to make Wednesdays my update days (kind of like how new eps of Free! used to come out on Wednesdays). I hope you liked this chapter, guys!


	3. Safe Haven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru's POV. A small look into Haru's college life and what he thinks of Rin, plus a hint of the sassiness that is Haruka Nanase. Plus a short appearance by the rest of the Iwatobi gang.

_Haru_

The written word has always been a form of escape for me. Whenever my parents went on their trips and let me with my grandmother, I would spend hours engrossed in a book to stop myself from feeling abandoned. I lost myself in the world within the pages, and for a short while, I was able to leave behind my own problems, and take on those of the characters.

When my grandmother passed away, I found that writing helped me deal with the grief. It was much easier to express my thoughts on paper than it was vocally. I was never a very talkative person to begin with, so writing was also a way of expressing myself.

As I went through high school, literature in general became a big part of my life. What started out as a distraction and coping mechanism became something far greater; a part of life that I couldn’t go without. Especially when I discovered poetry.

I found poetry to be beautiful; to be able to use words to convey deep emotions and imagery in such a short piece was amazing. And so I decided that this was what I wanted my life to be about. Hence the reason I sat in a dorm room, leaning against the wall behind my bed with a notebook spread open on my knees. College was stressful, but I was able to study literature, so it was worth it.

I took a deep breath, straightening my legs and stretching my arms above my head. I had been sitting in the same spot for about an hour now, and my joints were feeling stiff. So, I stood from my bed and walked around the room to get the blood flowing once again.

My dorm room was a good size, big enough for two guys to live comfortably. My bed was against the left wall, with my desk at the foot of it. Across from that was another bed, this one belonging to my roommate and childhood friend, Makoto. He had his own desk as well, which was organized and neat, housing a lamp and picture of his family. mine was a bit more messy, and I didn’t keep any photographs. My parents never treated me like their son much, so I didn’t see the point in reminding myself of that by keeping a photo.

We had a small TV and a PS3 for our study breaks, where we played video games together to pass the time. A mini fridge took up a corner of the room, along with a microwave which was used mainly for instant ramen during long nights spent studying.

Aside from that, the room was sparsely decorated on my insistence. I didn’t like too many things distracting me, so I was able to convince Makoto that we didn’t need to decorate much.

Speaking of my friend, the door opened and in walked Makoto, a cheerful smile overtaking his lips when he laid eyes on me.

“Oh, hey Haru,” he said, tossing his bag onto his bed and sitting down.

“Hey,” I replied, sitting down once more and grabbing my notebook.

Makoto wore a red, plaid shirt with blue jeans, his olive hair falling over the rim of the reading glasses he wore. He reached up and took them off, folding them and placing them in his breast pocket.

“We have another class in a little while,” Makoto said while reaching for his bag. “I think Saturdays are the most stressful with all the classes happening in the morning.” He sifted through the contents of his bag as he checked to make sure he had the right books.

“At least we can be done by 1,” I said, absently flipping through the pages of my notebook.

“That’s true! So what are you doing afterwards? Are you going to that cafe you’ve been frequenting lately?”

I paused for a moment before nodding, earning a low chuckle from my friend.

“I wish I could go with you and see what it’s like, but I promised Nagisa and Rei I’d help them review for a test.”

“Maybe we can all go together sometime.” Though I said that, I felt a surge of protectiveness for the little cafe that had become my refuge for the past few days. I didn’t want to share that little cafe with anyone, which was absurd because dozens of people went their everyday. But the place has become a safe haven for me every since I discovered it, somewhere peaceful where I could work when my room felt too cramped.

“That’s a great idea!” Makoto’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked over to find him beaming at me. “It would be fun to go together. And I love sweets.”

I hummed in response, moving now to get my messenger bag and the books I would need for my next (and final) class. I stayed quiet as I gathered my things together, listening to him talk about the art class he was taking, and how difficult it was. He didn’t become upset with my lack of response, because he knew I was listening to every word he said. Makoto knew me better than I knew myself, really.

Once I had everything I needed, I slung my bag over my shoulder.

“We should go.”

Makoto nodded, picking up his own bag and following me out the door. We made light conversation as we walked through the halls of the building, taking the elevator down to the ground floor before setting off across campus. The day was sunny and warm, summer not having left us quite yet. Students were milling around everywhere, studying on the grass under trees, talking with their friends, and heading to their next class. When we approached Building C, where our English class would be held, Makoto held the door open for me. I walked inside and made my way over to the stairs, passing by other students as I finally reached the classroom. I took my usual seat near the window, Makoto plopping down beside me as we got out our notebooks.

The professor walked in a few minutes later, and the class immediately quieted. I spun my pencil in my hand, making sure to pay close attention as the lesson began.

Honestly, I’m not very good at English. The language is confusing and difficult, especially when so many words sound exactly the same but have completely different meanings. But I do my best, though, because I want to be fluent in English. I want to be able to read English literature, instead of having to settle for translations that will never be 100% correct. So once the professor began to talk, I took notes on everything he said, not even noticing the time flying by until the bell rang.

I finally stopped writing, flexing my hand as I muttered the newest English phrase under my breath. I stood and began gathering my things, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders since I was finally done for the day. Having a day off tomorrow only made it better, and I followed Makoto out of the classroom with a sigh of relief.

“Mako-chan! Haru-chan!”

A blond boy wearing a pink t-shirt and blue jeans jumped up from the bench beside the classroom, excitedly waving at us.

“Hi Nagisa,” Makoto greeted while I stayed silent, looking past Nagisa and seeing our other friend, Rei, adjusting his glasses. “And Rei. I guess we’re all set to head to the library, then.”

Nagisa nodded enthusiastically before looking at me. “Are you coming with us, Haru-chan?”

I shook my head, readjusting my bag. “No, I have other things to do.”

“Aww, that’s no fun! Who’s gonna keep Mako-chan company when Rei-chan and I sneak to the bathroom to make out?”

“N-Nagisa-kun!” Rei sputtered, face turning an interesting shade of red as Makoto let out a low groan. “I am not allowing that to happen again! That is completely disrespectful to Makoto-senpai, who has graciously agreed to help us study!”

“It’s not really sneaking if you tell us beforehand,” I said as Nagisa started to whine about how he just needed to kiss Rei periodically to keep his spirits up. Makoto sent me a defeated look, to which I just shook my head. There really wasn’t anything we could do about Nagisa. “I’ll be going then.”

I turned to go, listening to the others bidding me farewell, Nagisa the loudest of them all. At least now I would be able to have some peace and quiet, time to work on my writing. And there was only one place I wanted to go to do that.

I made my way back to the dorms to drop off the books I didn’t need, before heading back across campus and into the streets. The Sharkbait Cafe was only a few blocks from the university, so it didn’t take long to get there. Maybe that was why I had decided to stop by last Tuesday. There was something about the cool colors of the cafe showing through the window that calmed me, reminding of the ocean. As I stepped into the cafe for the fifth day in a row, I felt that same sense of calm wash over me once more.

The bell above the door jingled as I stepped inside, and immediately my eyes locked with bright red ones as they looked up. A grin spread across the barista/assistant manager’s lips, pointy white teeth peeking out behind his lips.

Everything about Rin was unusual. When I first stepped up to the counter to order coffee last Tuesday, his back had been turned to me. All I could see was a head of slightly long, red hair and a hint of a strong back showing through his shirt (along with the curves of his backside through his jeans, but I didn’t let my eyes wander). I was shocked, then, when he turned around, because I wasn’t expecting to see so much metal on his face. He had ear piercings, an eyebrow piercing, and lip piercings, but they didn’t look bad on him. They actually looked nice, fitting with the rest of his style. Still, that didn’t stop the shock from showing on my face for a split second before I schooled my features once more.

I also wasn’t expecting him to turn to the girl that he was serving at the time (who was unashamedly flirting with him) and announce that he was gay, and therefore couldn’t go out with her. I wasn’t very surprised with his sexuality, what with being friends with Nagisa and Rei, but I was surprised at how easily he said it. Most people wouldn’t be so open with such things, given that Japan still isn’t a very accepting country when it came to homosexuality. But Rin spoke with confidence and ease , as if he wasn’t afraid at all of what others might say. He wasn’t as loud as Nagisa when it came to telling anyone who asked about his preferences, but he wasn't ashamed. I found myself respecting that, and wondered if I could do the same.

Not that I had really thought about my own sexuality. I had been so caught up in literature and school that I never really gave dating much thought.

The fact remained, though, that Rin was definitely someone interesting and different, and that I found his company to be enjoyable, even if I didn’t show it much.

“Haru,” Rin said, sounding relieved. “I didn’t think you’d come today.” He smiled when he saw the confused look on my face, going on to explain. “You usually come around 11, so I was kind of surprised when you didn’t show up. I thought you might’ve gotten tired of this place.”

Ah, so that’s what it was. “I have a lot of morning classes on Saturdays,” I explained.

He seemed satisfied with that answer, making me wonder if he had been looking forward to me coming.

“Cool. At least now I know I didn’t screw up your last order or anything.” He grinned again, straightening up and brushing a lock of red hair away from his eyes. “So, do you want the usual?”

My usual was the Cinnamon Dolce Latte, the only thing I had gotten since my first day here. Today though, I decided I wanted something else, so I shook my head.

“I want something different. Any recommendations?”

“Hell yes!” He said excitedly, to which I narrowed my eyes.

“Don’t swear, Rin.”

He looked taken aback for a moment before laughing.

“You don’t like swearing?” I refused to give him a verbal response, instead fixing him with a serious look. He laughed again, raising his hands in defense. “Okay, okay, Mr. Lit Major. _Heck_ yes. I recommend pretty much everything, but my favorite is the Pumpkin Spice Latte, so why don’t you give that a try?”

I thought it over for a second before nodding. “Okay.”

“Great! One Pumpkin Spice for Sweater-Guy!” He chuckled as he turned away to start making the coffee, and I could only roll my eyes. It seemed that he had dubbed me Sweater-Guy since he didn’t know my name at first, and because I always wear sweaters (such as the black one I wore today). I took out my wallet as I watched him work, noticing that he wore another pair of sinfully tight jeans. I didn’t look for long though, letting my eyes wander back to his hands as they made the coffee that was always somehow perfect.

I could feel another gaze on me as I stood there, and turned my head slightly to see Rin’s coworker looking at me. From what I had gathered over the past few days, Sosuke Yamazaki was his best friend. Personally, I wasn’t very fond of Yamazaki, though that might have been because of the looks I always received from him. He always looked like he wanted me to leave, to stop talking to Rin and go away. So, feeling unwanted, I did the only natural thing I could.

I stayed.

I went on to ignore Yamazaki, not bothering to acknowledge him any longer. Rin finished with my coffee, holding out the cup to me as I paid for it. Looking into the cup, I felt a small smile coming on when I saw that he had made the foam look like waves of the ocean.

“Hey,” Rin said, drawing my attention back to him. “I haven’t taken my break yet, so I’ll join you in a bit.”

“Okay,” I replied, earning another flash of pointy teeth. The bell jingled behind me, so I quickly moved out of the way to let the next customer order, though they could have gone to Yamazaki instead.

I went over to usual table by the window, surprised that no one ever sat there. I took a seat, setting my bag down on the floor and the cup on the table. As I waited for the drink to cool, I pulled out my notebook and pencil, getting comfortable. Even with other people in the cafe, I felt relaxed and found that I could easily get work done here.

For the time being, however, I took slow sips of my coffee and watched the counter. Or, more specifically, I watched Rin.

He chatted with Yamazaki after the customer was served. I realized that Rin was almost always smiling whenever I saw him, and thought that the look suited him. He seemed happy and comfortable doing his job, though he had said that this wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He was still trying to find his passion in life, and when he talked about it, he seemed utterly and completely lost. But when he said he admired me for studying what I love, I could see the sincerity in his eyes.

It’s still a bit of a mystery to me as to why exactly I told him so much about my love for literature in the first place. I’m a quiet person, and I don’t really like talking to people, especially someone new. And yet, on the second day of meeting Rin, I was telling him about my major and about writing poetry. It was shocking, really, how he was able to draw me out of my shell and get me to open up in a just a few short minutes. Of course, I was still reserved, but I noticed that I tended to speak more when he was around.

With these thoughts circling in my mind, I opened my notebook to a fresh page. I took another sip of my coffee, enjoying the warmth of it; it was delicious as always. I stared at the page in front of me, tapping my pencil against the paper and thinking of something to write about. Looking out the window, I noticed a bird hopping around on the sidewalk, pecking its beak in search of crumbs. A couple walking by scared the creature, and in an instant, it spread its wings and took flight.

Looking back my notebook, I decided to write about the bird, and the freedom that came with flight.

_Take flight and soar across the heavens,_

_Spread your wings and search for freedom,_

_Tear through the reality that binds you to the earth,_

_And seek escape from your inner demons._

Okay, so maybe it became less about the bird than I had intended, but I continued to write, deciding to edit it later. Absorbed in the scratching on my pencil forming words across the page, I didn’t notice the chair across from being pulled out until I heard Rin’s voice calling to me.

“Hey,” he said when I met his gaze. He sat down in the chair, resting his elbows on the tabletop. “So, how was class?”

He’d started asking me about my day after our second meeting, and I couldn’t find myself to hate having to answer. I still scared me a bit how easy talking to Rin was, though it was a different kind of easy compared to talking to Makoto, who just knew everything without me having to say anything.

I shrugged lightly, setting my pencil down and wrapping both hands around my coffee cup. “It was fine. English was difficult, though. I’m not very good at it, though I want to be.”

He seemed to perk up at that, grinning once more. “English, huh? I’m actually pretty fluent in it.”

“Oh?” It was strange how I could imagine Rin speaking English without difficulty.

“Yeah. I actually spent a year in Australia when I was twelve. Picked it up from there.”

“I don’t think I’d be able to spent so long in a foreign country, though it would have been alright if I could learn the language easily.”

He chuckled, shoulders hunching slightly as he leaned forward a bit more. “I can’t imagine you in another country. Still, if you ever need it, I can help you. I bet you’re dying to read English literature.”

Of course, he hit the nail right on the head. “I am, actually. You can’t back out if I take you up on that though.”

“I won’t! Watch, I’ll be a great teacher! You’ll learn it easily if you have my help!”

“I feel like you’d get frustrated easily,” I said without blinking.

He shot me a glare, but it didn’t carry any real anger. “I would not! We’ll have to set up a study session some time and I’ll show you how patient I can be!”

“Whatever you say, Rin.” I brought the cup up to my lips to hide my smile as Rin looked slightly annoyed at my disbelief.

The next few minutes were spent in silence as I wrote another line, Rin watching me the entire time but unable to read what I wrote.

“So, when can I read one of your poems? Or stories?”

I didn’t look up as I answered. “Someday.”

He scoffed, muttering about that being very specific. It wasn’t long before Rin’s break ended, and the comfortable silence between us was broken by Yamazaki;s voice.

“Rin, get your ass back to work!”

I felt my eyebrow twitch, feeling like Yamazaki swore on purpose just because he found out I don’t like swearing. Rin sighed as he got up, pushing his chair back in.

“Oh, Haru,” he said, remembering something. I looked up at him, holding his empty cup in his hand. “We’re closed tomorrow, so I just thought I’d let you know. Hope you’ll come by on Monday, though.”

I simply nodded in response, and he smiled before heading back behind the counter. I felt strangely sad to know that I wouldn’t be able to come back the next day, and would most likely spend the time in my room or being dragged around by Nagisa and the others. I wouldn’t be able to see Rin, either, and the thought made me feel a bit empty.

I shook my head to get rid of those feelings, telling myself that it was just one day and that it didn’t matter. I had done the same everyday before I started coming to the cafe, after all. It was no big deal.

So I went back to writing, my cup now empty and my mind going through various words that would fit into the poem and make sense while still sounding nice. And as my hand moved across the page once more, I smiled.

Because it was just one day, and then I would be back in my safe haven to relax and write once again.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the kudos so far! Comments are always appreciated as well, and I hope you guys liked the chapter!


	4. I Want to Know Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gou comes to shop, and it seems like she knows Haru. Everyone thinks Rin wants to make a move on Haru, but really, he just wants to get to know him. Really.

I usually really looked forward to Sundays, given that it was the one day of the week that I had off from work. I usually slept in, getting up lazily at noon. I’d still run to keep in shape, but the rest of the day would be spent lazily lounging on the couch watching TV, playing video games, or letting Sosuke drag me around town to do whatever.

This Sunday was essentially the same, except for one thing: I missed going to work.

Okay, I didn’t really miss work, I missed the quiet, sweater-wearing guy that had somehow made my dull days at the cafe something I looked forward to. I would look up every time the bell jingled, hoping to see dark hair and blue eyes, though I had pretty much memorized the time Haru would come in. It was always 11:00 on the dot. That’s why I was so disappointed when he didn’t come in at his usual time yesterday. I thought at first that maybe he was running late, or had something to finish up real quick. But when and hour passed with no sign of him, I began to lose hope. I even thought that he might have gotten tired of going to the same place everyday.

I may or may not have spent the time until 1:30 moping around behind the register, barely smiling at the customers as I took their orders. Of course, that all changed when Haru came in, explaining that he had mostly morning classes on Saturdays. I would never admit how relieved I was to hear that. Seeing Haru had become something I looked forward to, and I was pretty sure I smiled more around him too.

So that’s why I was still lying in bed on a sunny Sunday morning, not wanting to get out of bed because really, what was the point if I couldn't see Haru today? Maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but I was honestly really sad that I wouldn’t get to sit at our usual table with him today, watching him work and listening to his soft voice speak occasionally.

I wanted to do nothing more that stay in bed and mope all day, but I knew that if I slept the day away, my schedule would get messed up. So, with a low groan, I threw off the comforter and rolled out of bed, blinking to clear my vision. My clock told me that it was 11:57 a.m., so I grabbed my sweatpants and a white tank top, and headed to the bathroom, I quickly brushed my teeth and changed, tying my hair into a small ponytail. That done, I headed back to my room, snatching up my phone and earbuds before leaving my apartment.

I spent the next half hour jogging around my neighborhood while mentally rocking out to Linkin Park. No one would ever understand my love for American music, especially bands. But it was nice, since I could actually understand what the lyrics were saying.

And of course, thinking about how I was fluent in English made me think of Haru.

Dammit, I was trying to go through a normal day without thinking of him.

I came back to my apartment sweaty and out of breath, peeling off my tank top as soon as the door was closed behind me. The first thing I did was hop in the shower, letting the warm water wash away the sweat from my body. Once I was done, I dried off and got dressed, putting all of my piercings in.

I had already decided that I would spend the day at home, not doing anything. When Sosuke had asked yesterday if I wanted to hang out, I had turned him down because I really didn’t feel like doing anything at all. But, it seemed like my fridge had other ideas, because when I opened it, there was barely any food inside. I ended up eating a bowl of cereal, knowing I had to go shopping but really not wanting to. Stupid food, being necessary for the human body and shit.

So once again, I found myself putting on my shoes and locking my front door, heading down the stair into the street. Thankfully, I live close by to pretty much  everything, so I didn’t need a car to make the fifteen minute trek by foot to the grocery store.

I stepped inside the store, completely ignoring all the stares that were directed to my face. Instead, I got a cart and headed to the bread aisle. After getting bread, I picked up milk, eggs, bacon, different kinds of veggies, and of course, meat. It was when I was checking which strawberries looked the freshest when my phone rang, the opening theme of Tales of the Abyss coming from my back pocket.

I pulled out my phone, glancing at the screen to see who was calling. The name Gou was written in bright white letters, and I sighed before sliding my thumb across the screen and putting the phone up to my ear.

“What is it, Gou?” I asked, continuing my inspection of the strawberries.

“Onii-chan!,” came my little sister’s voice, sounding about ready to tell me off. “What have you been up to? Mom says you haven’t called her in a week!”

“I’ll call her today. I’ve just been busy at the cafe, that’s all.” Yeah, busy getting to know a mysterious blue-eyed university student.

“Busy? Have you been getting a lot of customers lately? I haven’t been able to visit you in a while.”

“It’s been decent, pretty much the same as usual. It’s been fun lately, though.”

“I see…,” There was a pause in which I picked out the carton of strawberries I wanted, moving them to cart. “Is he cute?”

I fumbled with the strawberried, almost dropping them on the ground. “What?!”

“Well, I know the cafe is fun most of the time, with Sosuke and the others, but you sounded happier when you said it was fun. So, I figured you must’ve met someone cute.”

“I-”

“Women’s and sister’s intuition,” she added before I could say anything.

“That doesn’t even make sense!” I almost shouted, but managed to keep my voice under control. I could feel my face heating up already.

“Oh, but you don’t deny that there is someone and he is cute.” Her voice sounded so amused and victorious, and I had half a mind to hang up on her.

Instead, I groaned loudly. “Gou, that is none of your fucking business.” Because there was no way I would tell her that Haru really was cute, with his sweaters and the fact that he fucking wrote poetry and didn’t like swearing.

“Aww, don’t be like that, Onii-chan! Ooh! I know! I’ll come by the cafe tomorrow! Introduce me to him, okay?”

“What?! No! Don’t you dare come over, Gou, I’m serious.” I could already imagine how she’d gush over Haru and just make it just way too embarrassing for me.

“Sorry, can’t hear you! I’ll see you tomorrow then. Bye, love you!” She giggled, and before I could say anything else, the line went dead. I pulled the phone away from my ear, glaring at it.

I mean, sure Haru was cute, but it’s not like I was interested in him romantically. Well, not much anyway. Just a little bit. A tiny, tiny bit that held no significance at all. Yeah, totally.

I mumbled that to myself the entire way home.

***

After putting the groceries away, I decided it was best to do some cleaning, just in case Gou decided to drop by at my place too tomorrow. I didn't need her nagging me about living like a "total boy", as she called it. So I put my iPod in its dock and blasted music while I went about cleaning, singing along loudly.

I was pretty out of breath by the time I finished, having danced around to the music as I went from one chore to another. Still, it was fun and made doing boring chores. I flopped down on the couch shirtless (what? It was getting hot, okay.), grabbing for the TV remote. I flipped through the channels, not really finding anything interesting.

I decided I wanted to play video games instead, so I turned on my PS3 and slid in the disc for Persona 4: Arena. JRPGs are beyond amazing and kept me busy for hours at a time.

And so I wasted the day away in front of the TV, wondering why the creators couldn't make at least one gay character for me to relate to.

* * *

 

With Monday came Gou, strolling into the cafe at 10:30 in the morning like she owned the place. Her deep red hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she wore a white long-sleeved shirt with a black skirt that came halfway down her thighs. She waved at Sosuke and I as she walked up to counter, which was vacant at the moment.

"Onii-chan! Sosuke-kun!" She smiled brightly as she came behind the counter, giving both of us hugs.

"Hi Gou, I haven't seen you in a while," Sosuke said, while I leaned on the counter, keeping an eye out for customers.

"School's been tough!" Gou said, putting her bag down. "College is so much different than high school! And I have to get used to living in the dorms instead of at home."

"It is hard, isn't it? Since my parents are helping me rent an apartment, I don't have to live on campus."

"You're really lucky, Sos-"

"GOU-SAAAAAN!!!!"

I cringed, mentally preparing myself to be ready to kill when I heard Momo's loud voice filled with excitement. He came bursting out of the kitchen with a huge grin on his face, his golden eyes sparkling when he saw Gou. He bounded forward, taking her hands in his and practically /glowing/.

"Gou-san, it's great to see you again!" He said happily, and my fingers twitched as I stared at their hands.

"It's good to see you too, Momo," Gou said, giving him a smile.

"Do you want anything to eat? I made this really awesome cake!"

Okay, not he was way too close to her, and as Gou's older brother, I needed to protect her.

I grabbed Momo in a headlock, dragging him back to the kitchen door while he kept his arms outstretched and whined.

"Get back to work, Momo," I said, pulling him along. "Stop goofing off."

"But Senpaiiiiii!"

"Not buts."

I threw him into the kitchen and closed the door, glad to be rid of the problem. It used to be worse, having to keep Gou away from both Sei and Momo. But eventually, Sei got the hint that Gou wasn't interested, so he stopped flirting with her and just became a good friend. Too bad Momo was too dense to realize the same thing, and so I constantly found myself dragging him away from her.

When I got back to the register, Sosuke and Gou were chatting with each other and Sosuke wiped down the counter. Gou perked up when she saw me, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"So Onii-chan, is he here yet?" She glanced around the mostly empty cafe, as if she would find who she was looking for without even knowing what he looked like.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I replied, leaning on the counter and hoping she's drop it.

"Is who here yet?" Sosuke asked, looking confused.

"The guy that Onii-chan thinks is cute!" Gou exclaimed happily.

Sosuke seemed to realize who she was talking about, and he scowled. "Oh, /him," he said, and I could detect the venom in his voice.

I wasn't really sure why he didn't like Haru. The two had barely talked at all in the past week.

Gou snapped her hands over her mouth, her expression apologetic as she looked at Sosuke. She should look at me like that, since it was my business she was butting into.

"... He's not here yet," I relented, knowing Gou wouldn't drop the subject anytime soon. "He usually comes around 11."

I heard my sister giggle beside me, and I rolled my eyes. I guess it was okay to admit that Haru was cute in front of them. It was just my sister and best friend, after all. Still, I had to make sure they got one thing straight.

"Yeah, he's cute, but I don't want to date him... Yet. I want to know more about him first."

So I'm a romantic. Sue me.

Gou giggled again,  taking my arm in her's. "You'll get there soon enough. I just can't wait to meet him."

With a sigh, I gently extracted my arm away from her. "Gou, don't be all over him, okay? I actually want him to keep coming back, and having you scare him away won't help."

"Don't worry!"

She only had enough time to give me that enthusiastic response before the bell jingled and I looked to the door.

I could feel the grin spreading across my features as a familiar dark head of hair made its way into the cafe.

Today, Haru wore an emerald green sweater, the sleeves a little too long as always. He gave me a smile smile when our eyes met, and I waved at him.

"Haru! Welcome back," I greeted, not noticing the squeak Gou let out beside me.

"Hi, Rin," he said in that soft voice of his.

"Haruka-senpai?!" Gou leaned forward, her eyes wide.

My eyebrows furrowed as I watched Haru shift his attention to her, eyes sparking with recognition.

"Kou?" He asked, looking slightly shocked.

"I didn't know you came here!" Gou's smile was wide as she bounced on the tip of her toes.

And now I was completely and utterly confused. How the hell did these two know each other?

"Wait, hold on," I said, looking back and forth from my sister to Haru. "You guys know each other?"

Gou nodded vigorously, clapping her hands together. "We go to the same university! I'm in the some of the same classes as two of his other friends, so we've all come to know each other. We're friends!" She looked back at Haru, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Senpai, you never told me you knew Onii-chan!"

Haru raised a brow, looking from me to Gou. "I didn't know he was you brother," he countered.

"We just met last Tuesday," I added, hoping Gou would get the hint that this was the cute guy and that she definitely should not say anything unnecessary.

Judging by the way her eyes grew wide, she did put two and two together. She squealed again, hiding her smile behind her hands.

"Rin, shouldn't you be asking for his order instead of talking?" Sosuke reminded me, though he sounded bitter as he glared at Haru. Haru didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"Right. So Haru, what'll it be today?"

"Surprise me."

I raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking if he really wanted that.

"You work here, so you must know what's good. I'm fine with anything."

To that, I grinned. "Alright, let me work my magic."

I spun around and started making his coffee as I listened to Gou talk to him. He mostly just listened, giving one word responses whenever necessary. A few minutes later, I was working with the foam of the latte, shaping it to look like a bird. I wasn't really sure why I chose a bird, but I didn't really care. It looked nice, at least, so it didn't matter.

Once done, I slid the cup over to Haru, grinning.

"Try that."

He spent a moment admiring the latte art silently, before picking the cup up and blowing on the contents. Slowly, he brought it to his lips and took a small sip, humming as the liquid filled his mouth.

When he pulled away from the cup, foam was sticking to his upper lip, which he promptly licked away. I didn't follow the movement of his tongue, I swear. I totally did /not/ stare as the little pink muscles slid across his lip, licking up the foam and leaving his lip glistening slightly.

"Not too bitter, not too sweet. It has a nice harmony," he said seriously, as if he was a coffee critic about to give me a score on his drink. "It's nice."

I'd learned by now that Haru's saying "it's nice" probably meant that it was the best coffee he ever had and he would definitely get it again sometime. And that made me smile brightly.

"I really think making coffee is Onii-chan's calling," Gou said as Haru paid for his drink.

"No way," I said, putting the money in the register. "I don't want to be stuck in this crappy place forever."

"Matsuoka! Do I need to make you clean the bathrooms?!" Sei's voice came out of nowhere, and I was pretty sure he was still in the kitchen. Damn, that guy had ears like a hawk.

"I mean, as much I love working at this /amazing/ cafe, I don't think I'd want to do it forever," I corrected myself, rolling my eyes when I heard Sei yelling "That's what I thought!"

"You should've went to College," Sosuke chimed in, finally joining in the conversation but looking anywhere than at Haru. "You'd have a lot more options."

"College isn't for me. I guess I could've done something with English, but I don't want to teach or anything. I want to do something that I'll like and feel good about at the end of the day."

"You don't have to go to college to find your dream," Haru said, clutching his drink in both hands, his fingertips peeking out from the sleeves of the sweater. "You'll figure it out someday, Rin."

Sosuke scowled again, but all I could do was smile warmly at Haru. He sounded to serious, like he really believed in me. And for some reason, that meant so much to me.

"Matsuoka, do I pay you to work or flirt?"

Sei was leaning against the door to the kitchen, his arms crossed as he stared straight into my eyes (and probably soul) with a disapproving look. I felt my cheeks heat up, and for a second I was at a loss for words.

"I'm not - it's not- I-I'll get back to work..."

Damn, why didn't I deny that I was flirting?

"Good. Sosuke, you too. Stop the chatter and pick up a platter... Or something. Just get back to work." And with that, Sei disappeared back into the kitchen.

My face still felt warm, and I hoped I wasn't blushing.

"You heard the man," I said, tightening my apron. "I'll join you on my break, Haru."

"Ooh, I will too!" Gou added. Haru nodded and headed to his usual table, Gou trailing right behind him. It was actually pretty nice to see my little sister and friend-who-I-was-totally-not-interested-in getting along.

I heard Sosuke sighing next to me, and I turned to him, my arms crossed and hip leaning against the counter.

"Why do you hate him so much?" I asked. "You guys have barely exchanged two words since he started coming here."

"I don't /hate/ him," he said, averting my eyes as he played with the stitching on his shirt sleeve. "I just don't like him much."

"Same thing."

"It's not. Besides, what does it matter? He only orders from you so it's not like I have to interact with him."

"But he's my friend, and by extension that makes him your friend too."

He grimaced, as if being friends with Haru was something that left a bitter taste in his mouth. "No thanks."

All I could do was sigh, putting on a smile as more customers started to come in.

The rest of my time until break was spent serving one customer after another as a line began to form. I wrote down names on cups, made coffee quickly but professionally, and served up desserts to the various customers. Sosuke and I didn't get to talk, since we were so busy dealing with the sudden onslaught of customers, but that was okay. I would get him to like Haru someday, because I definitely knew I wanted to be even better friends with Haru than I was now. I wanted to know so many things about him. I wanted to hang out with him outside the shop. I wanted to be able to sit around my apartment playing video games with him.

Maybe a part of me wanted to be a bit more than friends with him.

I pushed that thought to the back of my mind, though. First, be friends with Haru. Think about more later once you know more about him. That was what I needed to focus on.

When I finally took my break, there was a lull in customers, so I knew I could leave Sosuke without having to worry. I made myself a coffee (and one for Gou after she had ordered and paid, getting a discount since she was family), and headed over to the table to sit with Haru and Gou.

We talked about whatever came up, whether it was Gou complaining about how much homework her proffessors gave her (which, I pointed out, she wasn't working on even though she had the time), or me teasing Haru about his English skills. It was fun, I realized, to sit there with them and just talk. I couldn't look away from Haru for more than a few seconds at a time; my eyes were always drawn back to him and I took in his features. His expression was usually set to neutral, barely ever betraying any emotion. But then there would be moments when his eyes shone a little brighter, or his lips twitched in a smile that he would cover up with his cup. And really, I thought as I half-listened to Gou ranting about something, how could anyone /not/ like Haru? He was mysterious and quiet, something that made me want to break his cool exterior and know everything about him.

My break ended way too soon, but I went back to work with a smile. Gou joined me when Haru left later that afternoon, giggling to herself as she shot glances at me every now and then. I didn't bother questioning her about it, since I was pretty sure I know what they were about.

She finally spoke up when Sosuke went on a bathroom break, stepping up beside me.

"You two would be cute together," she said.

"Drop it, Gou."

"No, but really. I think you'd be good for Haruka-senpai."

"And how would you know?" I questioned, actually slightly curious.

"Well, I've never actually heard him talk so much before. But when he's talking with you, he actually looks like he enjoys it and wants to talk. I think that's actually pretty special."

"Oh really?"

And if anyone ever asked, I would never admit to smiling and feeling my heart skip a beat at those words.


	5. We're All Still People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haru shows up with Gou and the gang. Introductions are made, and Sei hits on an embarrassed Makoto. An asshole customer comes in and Rin snaps.

We were halfway through October when I finally decided it was time to wear a jacket in the mornings. I still stuck with my short sleeved shirts, since they were more comfortable. But now I added on my black leather jacket to the mix, which I would promptly take off and hang up as soon as I was in the cafe.

As the weather got colder, the number of customers in the mornings increased. People wanted a good, hot drink before work or school to warm and wake them up. Sosuke and I always had to keep on our toes, taking and making orders, smiling at the customers (even when most of them were moody and rude), and handing out desserts or bagels that people ordered to go. Thankfully, the pace slowed down by midday, and I could always relax a little bit to joke with Sosuke, or take my break and sit with Haru.

Speaking of Haru, the guy came in every single day, save for Sundays when the shop was closed. He’d sit at his table writing or typing on a laptop, slowly sipping that one cup of coffee that took him like three hours to finish. He’d never order anything else, just that one cup that varied from day to day. He’d ask me what I’d recommend, and I’d tell him a drink he hadn’t tried yet. Slowly, he was making his way through the whole menu. Buying coffee everyday wasn’t exactly cheap, so I was able to talk to Sei and get Haru a discount for being such a good customer. Sometimes, if he stayed longer than usual, he’d order another cup while he sat silently at his table, face expressionless as he worked.

The thought of him made me smile, because as I got to know him, I found out that Haru  was a pretty nice guy. He didn’t talk much, but the rare smiles he gave lit up the room, and when he did talk, he always had something interesting to say.

“You look creepy smiling to yourself like that.”

I snapped out of my thoughts, pausing in my task of wiping down the coffee machines to look at Sosuke leaning against the counter.

“Do you ever have anything nice to say?” I asked, straightening up and putting away the rag. The cafe was nearly empty, though it was a little before 11 and we expected more customers to come in at any moment.

“Um, your hair is nice?” He said with a smirk, clearly teasing.

“Of course it is,” I snapped back, running my hand through my perfect hair. Did he have any idea how hard it was to keep my hair this specific length and texture?

“So I’m bored, okay? And you’ve been quiet, so I was wondering what’s on your mind.”

I felt my cheeks heating up as I recalled thinking of Haru. Of course, it was purely innocent thoughts, but who knew what direction Sosuke would take it?

“Nothing,” I said casually. “Just family stuff. I was thinking Gou and I needed to hang out more.” Nice one, Rin. Good save. “...And I don’t think you’ll be bored for long. Mikoshiba, coming up behind you.”

Sure enough, Sei was exiting the kitchen and coming straight for us. There were flour stains on his apron, but his crimson hair was perfectly styled as always.

“I figured I’d talk to you guys while it’s still kind of quiet in here,” he said, coming to a stop and leaning his hip on the counter.

“What’s up?” Sosuke asked. “Going to give us a raise?”

“Not on your life, Yamazaki. No, I was going to tell you that the monthly Crew Bonding will be this Sunday at my place.”

Sosuke and I both groaned dramatically, with him muttering something along the lines of “kill me now”.

“Oi, shut up,” Sei ordered. “You know I do this to promote-”

“‘A healthy relationship among the staff so that we may work better together,’” I finished for him. “Yes, Captain, we know.”

“Don’t be a smartass, Rin. But yeah, that’s why. You guys know the drill: everyone brings a movie they want to watch. I’ll have the snacks and soda ready, and Rin’ll help me cook dinner. If you try to sneak in alcohol, I’ll dock your pay because all of you are underage except me.”

“Yeah, but I think you should be more worried about your brother,” I pointed out. “Momo’s the one who’s most likely to sneak something like that.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Sei assured. “Don’t forget, okay? Or I’ll drag whoever’s absent there myself.”

“Yes, sir,” Sosuke and I said together, giving a mock salute.

“Good.” He nodded, then took a minute to look around the cafe.

Our “Monthly Crew Bonding” was something Sei came up with a little after Momo and Ai started working here. With them being the youngest, Sei thought it would be a good way for them to get to know us and not be intimidated. It was a way for us all to get to know each other and hang out, and I have to admit that it actually made the work environment a lot better. We’re all like family now, and even though I complain, I actually looked forward to the days we all get together. Sure, all we do is watch movies and play board games and stuff, but it’s fun and we can all hang out outside of work.

The bell jingled above the door, and I straightened up to get back to work. I figured Sei was taking a break, because he was still behind the counter, sitting on a stool by the wall. When I looked  up, I grinned because it was my favorite customer. Haru looked bored as usual, though he gave me the smallest of smiles as he walked up to the register. He wasn’t alone, though, and it took me a moment to register the others with him.

I first noted the head of red that belonged to my sister, who waved happily at us from beside Haru. On Haru’s other side was a tall guy with olive colored hair and bright, green eyes. He was smiling softly as he looked around the cafe, taking in the details. Just behind them was a shorter, blond haired guy who couldn’t seem to stand still. He was talking excitedly with another guy he held hands with, a guy with red-rimmed glasses who seemed content on letting the blond kid talk at the extremely fast pace his mouth was moving.

“Look at this place, Rei-chan!” The blond said, bouncing on his toes and tugging on his friend’s hand (I would guess they were more than friends, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions). “No wonder Haru-chan likes it here. It’s cozy and quiet, just like him!”

“I agree,” the glasses-guy said, nodding his head and pushing up glasses. “This does seem like a place Haruka-senpai would enjoy.”

“Onii-chan!” Gou said, bringing my attention away from the other two. She came behind the counter to give us all  hug, which Sei stood up for.

“Hey Gou, Haru,” I said, flashing another grin at the latter. “Who’ve you got with you today?”

I was actually curious about their friends since the time Gou had mentioned them. It looked like I’d finally have the chance to meet them.

“These are our friends!” Gou answered, while Haru looked over the menu like he did every time.

“Yep! We’re Gou-chan’s and Haru-chan’s friends!” The blond kid chirped, pulling the glasses-guy with him to the front.

“I told you, it’s Kou!” Gou snapped, only to be completely ignored by everyone.

“I’m Nagisa!” The blond kid said. "And this is my boyfriend, Rei-chan! You’re Gou-chan’s brother, right?”

Looks like my gaydar was right. “Yeah, I’m Rin. This is Sosuke,” I said, gesturing to my friend, who was watching the exchange with  mild interest.”

“Nice to meet you, Rin.” This time it was the tall guy beside Haru, who gave a happy smile as he spoke. “I’m Makoto.”

“It’s so cool how we all have girly names!” Nagisa said. “Well, except So-chan. And Gou-chan has a boyish name!”

“Who said you could call me ‘So-chan’?!” Sosuke demanded while Gou shrieked, “I told you, it’s Kou!”

“Yeah, that is pretty strange.” Sei stepped up beside me, and I noticed his apron barely had any flour on it now. “I’m Seijuurou Mikoshiba, the manager. Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe. You can just call me ‘Sei’.”

He extended his hand to Makoto, golden eyes never leaving green. I raised an eyebrow, completely intrigued. Makoto shook it happily, and I saw Sei’s adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. Well, this was something I’d have to ask about later. Seemed like Sei found someone interesting.

“So, anything I can get you?” He asked, and that's when I knew he was trying to flirt, judging by the way he let his hand linger for a fraction of a second longer than   necessary, and the way he flashed his perfect teeth when he smiled at Makoto.

“Oi, Sei,” I reprimanded. “You don’t work the register. Shouldn’t you be back in the kitchen with Momo and Ai?”

“I know that,” he replied, never taking his eyes off Makoto. “But we have new customers, so it’s only right that I welcome them myself.”

He gave a wink and Makoto’s cheeks turned pink. He gave an embarrassed laugh, but it didn’t seem he was all too opposed to Sei’s advances. I was honestly a little bit surprised. I always knew Sei was more of a straightforward guy, but I never thought he’d go after other guys too. I always thought he was straight, having protected my sister from him for over half a year. I guess I didn’t know as much about him as I thought.

While Sei was chatting up Makoto, Haru and Sosuke were having a glaring contest, so I thought it was time to step in before the building caught on fire.

“So, Haru, what’ll it be this time?” I asked, shooing Sosuke to take Nagisa and Rei’s orders.

"Whatever is fine. I don't mind."

"Okay then. One "whatever" coming right up!" I grinned stupidly while he shook his head in exasperation.

As I made his coffee, I listened to Nagisa chatting Sosuke's ear off and Sei shamelessly flirting with Makoto, who seemed to be playing it cool and being nice even though his face was flushed. I briefly thought about how much my life had changed in just a few shorts weeks before I finished with Haru's coffee, sliding it across the counter and taking his money.

At this point, everyone else had taken up a booth in a far corner, after Sei had apologized that he needed to get back to the kitchen but he could hang out for a bit later. It was accompanied with another wink before he disappeared behind the door, and it was quieter by the counter.

Haru didn't join his friends, as I expected him to. Instead, he leaned against the counter, facing the doors, though a little to the side so he wouldn't disturb any customers that came in. I felt a twinge of happiness at that, and decided this was a good opportunity to learn more about him.

"You never really told me about your friends," I said, restocking the cups as I glanced at him. He was facing away from me, blowing over the top of his cup to cool down the liquid.

He shrugged, looking over to the group talking amongst themselves a little ways away. "Makoto's my childhood friend. I've known him since I was small. He was the one who encouraged me to pursue literature the most, when I told him how much I loved it."

"He sounds pretty great, and looks like an angel, really. Way too nice. I think Sei's got a thing for him."

Haru hummed in response. "As long as he doesn't hurt Makoto, then it's fine."

"Nah, Sei's a really good guy. He might come on a bit strong, but he'd never try to hurt anyone," I assured. "So what about the other two? I'm actually kind of impressed that they're so open. Japan's not a really accepting place when it comes to that kind of stuff."

"To be fair, you're quite open yourself," he shot back, to which I just shrugged. "Nagisa doesn't care what anyone thinks of him. He just likes to have fun and be with Rei. Although, if someone insults Rei, he... Deals with them. I suggest you watch out for him. He looks cute and innocent, but he can be a bit of a devil." Okay, that was weird. Should I have been scared? "Rei was a bit tentative about the public affection, but they never go overboard and I guess Nagisa's rubbed off on him a bit. They're in the same year as Kou."

"I guess you have your crew and I have mine. It would be cool to all get together someday, though. Outside of work, so all of us can hang out."

"Ha, no thanks," came Sosuke's bitter voice. He was glaring at the doors, and it was honestly a bit irritating.

"Too bad," I said, crossing my arms. "If we do have a get-together, I'm dragging your ass there."

" _Rin_ ," Haru said sternly.

"Oh, right, sorry. No cussing."

"Whatever, Rin," Sosuke said with a sigh. "But don't expect me to be nice to _him_."

"Agreed," Haru said, not even looking over  "Though I can usually block out Yamazaki's presence, his putrid stench makes it a bit difficult if he's a too close. I'll expect you to keep him at least three feet away at all times, Rin."

I looked between the two, thoroughly astounded. "I can't believed you guys," I sighed. "Whatever, fine. Though it would be kinda nice if you two at least tried to get along."

"Never," they both said at once, and I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

Shaking my head, I prepared myself as three customers came in at the same time. I helped two while Sosuke took care of the third, all the while Haru stood there silently, sipping his drink. When I finished serving the pair, Haru announced that he would be joining his friends (well, actually he just nodded his head in their direction, but I managed to figure it out). He left me alone with Sosuke. I watched him go, sliding into a spot next to Makoto, and staying quiet while everyone else talked to each other and to him.

They made an odd sort of group, the four guys and my sister, but it looked like a happy atmosphere. Not to mention that You looked happy, and for that I was grateful.

Sosuke and I exchanged mindless banter while we worked, finding the other customers not as interesting. There was a woman who came in for muffin and black coffee, a group of teenagers who gossiped amongst each other, and a man who ordered a slice of cake and tea, taking a table near Haru's group. It was kind of boring, really, and I really wished I could join the others instead of putting on a smile and taking orders.

At some point, Makoto came up to the counter again, smiling softly.

"Hey, can I get you something else?" I asked. I felt like I needed to be friends with this guy, since he was Haru's childhood friend after all. I knew how important those were. Plus, Makoto seemed like someone to trust, or that's the feel I got from him, anyway.

"Yeah, actually. The desserts you guys serve are amazing!" He looked at the displays beneath the countertop, green eyes lighting up.

"Got a sweet tooth, huh?" He nodded, chuckling as he looked over the various desserts. "Well, our desserts are pretty amazing. I mean, for someone who wants to be a cop one day, Sei is one hell of a pastry chef."

Makoto looked up, seeming curious and intrigued. "He made these?"

I nodded, eyeing the various assortments of cakes and other sweets. "He has help from his little brother and another employee, but most of the stuff is made by him."

"That's amazing." And he looked like he really meant it. "And a cop, huh? That's actually really cool. I want to be a firefighter, so I guess we're kind of alike. Wanting to help people and all."

I smirked, giving him a playful grin. "Guess you two were made for each other. A cop and a firefighter. Not to mention you love sweets, and he's awesome at making them."

That got him to blush, his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning an adorable shade of pink.

"Stop teasing him, Rin," came Sosuke's comment, which I ignored.

"But seriously," I went on, giving Makoto a genuine smile this time. "Don't be afraid of Sei. He might seem to come on a bit strong, but he's a good guy."

Makoto nodded, rubbing the back of his neck as if it would help make his blush disappear. "He does seem nice. A-and his cake was great, too."

I clapped him on the shoulder, flashing my pointy teeth.

"Now that's what I like to hear! So, what can I get you?"

His eyes lit up again, and he took a minute to decide which dessert he wanted. He chose a slice of strawberry short cake, confessing that he actually really loved strawberries, and having them in a cake was even better. It was when he was paying for it that I heard it.

"Disgusting."

My head immediately shot up, my ears on high alert. I looked around the cafe, but the place was mostly empty. A lady and her daughter were eating cake at a table by the doors, and an elderly man was reading a newspaper by the window. I looked over at Haru's booth, but no one there seemed to have heard anything. It was a quiet, but I had heard it, and it sounded like it came from near where Haru and the others sat. I’d heard that tone way too many times before not to notice it.

Gou was leaning forward with her elbows on the table. Haru sat next to her, looking bored while Rei talked and adjusted his glasses. Nagisa smiled and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, making Rei blush.

"Fucking filthy."

It was louder this time, and everyone heard it. Haru narrowed his eyes at the swear, looking over to the man who had sat near them earlier. The man had brown hair and was dressed in simple back pants and a white shirt. He was sneering at Haru's table. More specifically, he was glaring at Nagisa and Rei in particular. And all at once, my blood started to boil, because I knew what this was, and I was so sick of it.

"Fucking disgusting," the man said loudly, glaring pointedly at the couple. "Take that filth of yours somewhere else."

Sosuke walked around the counter, looking serious while Makoto bit his lip nervously. Everyone's attention was on the man as Sosuke stopped a little ways away from him.

"Sir, there is a child in here," he said gently, but with a stern undertone. "Please refrain from using such language.

"Then tell these fags to retrain from dirtying the place with their filth!" The man pointed at Nagisa and Rei, the latter looking like he wanted to run while the former stared back at the man with a cold gaze. "Can't believe you even allow their kind in here. Bad for business, I'd say."

I think that's when I snapped. ' _Their kind_?!' What the hell! What was wrong with being gay?! Just because they liked the same sex didn't make them any different. They were still normal people, and what happened behind closed doors was nobody else's business. And all Nagisa did was kiss Rei's cheek; it wasn't even something scandalous!

Before I knew it, I was marching over there, stopping right in front of the man's table and openly glaring at him. I wasn't even going to try to be friendly.

"Look, sir," I said with venom. "If you don't like them, you can just leave."

He narrowed his eyes at me, looking me over.

"Standing up for them?" He said with a disgusted laugh. "What, are you a fag too? Is that why there's so much metal in your face?"

I could feel my blood boiling, though I was doing my best to keep myself in check.

It wasn't working very well.

"Yes, actually. I am gay. Got a problem with that?"

"You're all disgusting," he said, standing up. "It's fags like you that ruin the world. Can't find a nice woman, so you'll go for anything with legs. World would be better off without you."

The next thing I knew, my hand was curled into the collar of his shirt, my nose just inches away from him.

"What the hell does it matter to you?" I spat. "Just because we don't want to date women, doesn't mean we're any less than you. In fact, I'd say we're far above scumbags like you."

"Let me go or I'm calling the police!" He looked slightly scared now, with my hand gripping him tighter, but I could still see how repulsed he was.

"Like I give a damn. I'm not letting go until you apologize."

"Never, you fucking faggot."

"Okay, that's enough." I felt a strong hand pull mine away from the man's shirt, and I looked up to see Sei looking at me sternly. He gently pushed me back, facing the man. He put on a smile, though his eyes were burning with something I couldn't tell.  

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he said. "You're causing a disturbance and disrupting the other customers."

"Me?!" The man shouted, clearly not pleased. "It's your fucking employee here that got handsy! Learn to train your team better. Or better yet, not have any fags here to begin with."

"Again, sir, I would advise you to leave. Or I'll have to escort you out by force."

Sei was clearly holding back anger now, and he looked beyond scary. The man picked up on it too, because he shoved past me and made his way to the door, grumbling about "fucking fags" and "got my shirt wrinkled with homo germs".

I was still seething when Sei turned back to me, some of the anger gone from his golden eyes.

"Rin, take a break. Ai will cover for you."

"That bastard," I hissed. "What the fuck is wrong with people?"

"They're just narrow-minded. Don't let it get to you. And no violence, Rin. I know you know that."

I grit my teeth, but I nodded, taking a deep breath and trying to calm down. Stupid people like that just made me furious.

"Sosuke, you can take a break too. I'll have Momo take over for you."

Sosuke nodded, sighing and flopping down in a chair. Sei went back to the kitchen, and I looked over at the booth. Haru looked irritated, his cup held tightly in his hands. He made eye contact with me, and he gave me a small nod, thought I'm not sure what it meant. Gou looked slightly scared, looking from me to the door, as if the guy would come back in any second. Makoto stood nervously to the side, before taking a seat beside Nagisa. The couple in question were mostly quiet. Rei looked both sad and ashamed, as if it was his fault that there are idiotic people in the world. I could see him clutching Nagisa's hand tightly, while the blond boy rubbed soothing circles on the back of it with his thumb. Nagisa's pink eyes were cold and his expression deadly. I saw his gaze flicker to the window, and heard him mutter something that sounded suspiciously like "cockroaches in his car". I felt a shiver run down my spine.

I slipped in the seat next to Haru, sighing and putting my head in my hands.

"I-I am so sorry, Rin-san," Rei said, bowing his head low. "It's our fault all of that happened. I sincerely apologize!"

I scowled, my fingers tightening into fists. "Why the hell are you apologizing," I asked, ignoring the light smack I recieved on my arm for swearing. "It's not your fault some people are just plain stupid. You didn't do anything wrong, so don't apologize. It's that bastard who should be apologizing."

"Oh, he will." All of our gazes locked on Nagisa, who smiled sweetly. It was kind of creep though, and I decided it best not to question it.

"There'll always be bigoted people on the world," Sosuke said. "Don't expect them to understand, because they won't."

We all went silent, and I decides that I needed something to drink. I got up, receiving a curious look from Haru. I held up a finger to say that I'd be back, and I headed to the counter.

"Ai, gimme me a Pumpkin Spice."

"Of course, Rin-senpai!" He quickly got to work preparing my coffee, for which I got an emplyee discount. Momo was helping another customer, and I took off my apron to be more comfortable.

"When you guys have a minute, come over and introduce yourselves," I said as Ai gave me my drink.

"You got it, Senpai!" Momo said happily.

With coffee in hand, and I went back to the booth and slid in next to Haru, perhaps a little close than strictly necessary. The warm cup in my hands felt good, and being a surrounded by a group of friends like this waa nice, even if my mood was still sour from the encounter.

"So," I said, breaking the silence. "Rei, what are you studying?"

Rei's head snapped up, and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He seemed more comfortable now, and latched onto the subject gratefully.

"Chemistry," he answered. "I'd like to be a scientist, a Chemist, to be exact. It's beautiful, the way chemicals mix and react to one another. There is no beauty in the world quite like it."

The guy sounded passionate, and I could respect that.

"And what about you, Blondy?" I asked, nodding to Nagisa. He flashed me a hrin and hugged Rei's arm to his chest.

"Astronomy!" He said enthusiastically. I was surprised; he didn't look like someone who would study something so complex. "I love the stars and the planets! Maybe someone I can be an astronaut!"

Well, damn. Seemed like everyone had their future figured out but me. I felt kind of left out, because I really wished I had found that something in my life that I wanted to do more than anything.

Maybe my thoughts were visible on my expression, or maybe he could just tell what I was thinking, because I felt a hand on my knee. I looked down to see that it was Haru's. He was still looking straight ahead as Nagisa babbled on about constellations, but he gently squeezed my knee, as if to encourage me and make me feel better.

My heart fluttered at the thought, and I smiled. His hand was warm and I felt the sudden desire to lace my fingers through his. I didn't get to, though, because a second later he pulled it away. Still, I was left feeling content, and Haru's support even helped cut through the lingering irritation of earlier. I put my hand on his knee, squeezing back a silent "thank you" before removing my hand. I caught his lips twitching up in a smile, and it took everything I had not to grin like a buffoon.

The rest of Sosuke's and mine forced break went by in a flurry of conversation. The group joked and teased, and they welcomed me with open arms. They made me feel like one of them, and that alone made me happier than I had been in a long time.

Momo and Ai came over to introduce themselves, and were quickly dubbed "Momo-chan" and "Ai-chan" by Nagisa. I had to make sure Momo kept his paws of Gou, but overall, we had a fun time. Even Sosuke managed to crack a few smiles, though there were plenty of glares exchanged between him and Haru.

As I was getting up to go back to work, though, a thought came to mind.

"Hey, Haru," I said. He looked up at me, blue eyes questioning. "Want to exchange phone numbers? You know, so we can set up a time for that English tutoring we were talking about before."

"Ooooh, tutoring!" Nagisa waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "That's just the perfect set up to get some, Haru-chan!"

My cheeks flushed, and I sputtering an unintelligible response. Okay, so maybe I had a slight ulterior motive for wanting Haru's number, but it had nothing to do with that. Haru looked unimpressed, but his cheeks turned slightly pink at the implication.

Haru looked back at me, opting to ignore his blond friend. "I don't use my phone much, so I'll be slow with responses if you text. It took me an eternity just to figure out how to use it"

He dug into his bag and pulled out an iPhone very similar to mine.

He handed me his phone, and I got a brief glimpse of a dolphin wallpaper before I navigated to the contacts and made a new one. After punching in my number and name, I saved it and handed it back to him.

"Just shoot me a text, and I'll save your number."

He nodded, and proceed to search the keys for what he wanted to type. A few seconds later, my phone pinged and I looked at it.

I couldn't hold back my laugh when I saw the single dolphin emoji he had texted me. I saved his name in my contacts, but just as I was about to leave again, Nagisa spoke up once again.

"Let's exchange numbers too, Rin-chan! That way we can all keep in touch!"

There was a glint in his eye that made me wonder just what he would text me about, but eventually I gave in. The next few minutes were spent exchanging numbers with Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei. Sosuke did so as well, but he refused to have Haru's number until I practically forces him to have it. Who knew when there would be an emergency? He reluctantly gave up, and in the end, we all had new numbers in our phones.

Sosuke and I finally were able to get back to work, and Haru and the others got up to leave. Gou gave me a hug, which I returned with a small squeeze. Sei somehow sensed that they were leaving, and appeared out of nowhere to say farewell, giving Makoto a brilliant smile.

As I took my place behind the register, I quickly pulled out my phone and typed in a message, a smile on my face.

_**To: Haru** _

_See you tomorrow :)_

I laid my phone on the counter as I tied the apron around me again. A minute later, my phone buzzed.

_**From: Haru** _

_See you_

I grinned happily and went about the rest of day as if it were the best of my life.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is wondering, Nagsa is not going to be 100% in line with his cannon counterpart. I want to make him a bit more... deviant. Also, Rin finally got Haru's number! Just wait till you see what Haru's name in his contacts will turn into xD  
> Someone kindly pointed out that this fic needed a homophobia tag, which I have now added.


	6. Sharkbait Crew Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys have their monthly bonding at the Mikoshiba's residence. Mario Kart is played, Monopoly threatens friendship, and The Fault in Our Stars makes our baby cry.

Sunday came in the blink of an eye, and I slightly mourned the fact that I wouldn’t be able to sleep in on my wonderful day off. I had other things to do, unfortunately, and so I dragged myself out of bed at 9:00. After my usual morning routine, I mentally went over the things I had to do in the next two hours. Number one on that list was going to the grocery store.

It was Sharkbait Crew Bonding Day, and I had things to do.

On my shopping trip, I picked up steak that I could cook up later. No doubt Sei would make something more Japanese, so I wanted to add something a bit more western to our dinner. Plus, I had a thing for meat, and I was a pretty good cook. I always helped out in the kitchen during our bonding days.

Along with the meat, I picked up a couple of boxes of Pocky and some other candy. Usually I don’t let myself eat a lot of junk food, since I like to stay in shape, but once a month I let myself splurge on anything I wanted. Maybe that was one of the reasons why I liked these monthly sessions.

With that done, I went back to my apartment one last time to get the remainings things I would need. In a backpack, I packed the snacks I would take, along with my movie of choice and a swimsuit (Sei’s family had a pool, and it was fucking amazing). I made sure to wear something comfortable and casual for the day: a simple band tee along with jeans and my beanie. I checked my phone for any new messages (Sei texted the crew and told us not to be late), slung my backpack over my shoulder, grabbed the bag of meat, and headed out the door for Sei’s house.

It wasn’t too far; the crew lived around the same area, since Momo had school and didn’t want to stay in the dorms, along with all of us working at the shop, but it was still a ten minute bus ride from my place to the Mikoshiba residence. Soon enough, I was ringing the doorbell to a large, two-story, Western style home.

“Glad you made it!” Sei said in greeting as he opened the door. He ushered me inside, moving to take the meat from me to stow it away for later.

Sei and Momo lived with their parents, since the Mikoshibas had a pretty large house. Old Man Mikoshiba owned some other business that made quite a lot of money (don’t ask me what it is, I usually zoned out when the guy droned on about it). The cafe was actually just a little just a little side project, and a way to ensure that Sei and Momo got some kind of work experience while they were still in school. With their parents out traveling for the time being, the brothers had the place all to themselves.

It wasn’t really surprising that the place was tidy and neat, given that Sei was in charge while his parents were gone. If it had been left under Momo’s control, the house would not doubt be a mess. But as I walked into their entryway and took off my shoes, I was able to appreciate the fact that it was nice and clean.

Aside from Sei and Momo’s shoes, there was another pair that I recognized as Ai’s. Sosuke’s weren’t anywhere to be seen, so I assumed he wasn’t there yet.

“You can chill in the living room while I put this away,” Sei said, before heading to the kitchen and leaving me alone. I did as he said, and made my into the spacious living area. The cream colored carpet beneath my feet was soft as I walked. There was a plush leather couch in the shape of an L on which Momo and Ai sat, playing Mario Kart on the Wii. The music of the game came from the speakers on either side of the large, 57 inch TV mounted on the wall. On the mantel of the fireplace sat framed photographs that I had seen many times before: a picture with a three-year-old Sei grinning as he held a bundle of blankets that was a newborn Momo in his small arms. Another photograph showed a teenage Sei dressed in his high school uniform on the day of his graduation. A similar one of Momo had been added just recently to go along with his brother’s. In the center of it all was a family portrait: a tall woman with blond hair and kind eyes had her arm linked with an even taller man with a shock of bright red hair, the crinkles by his eyes showing just how much he smiled. On either side stood Momo and Sei, smiling along with parents as they posed for the camera. They all wore kimonos, a contrast to dominant Western style of everything in their home.

“Rin-Senpai!” Momo exclaimed, not taking his eyes off the game. “Grab a controller and come play! We can do battle mode!” He leaned from side to side everytime he tilted the Wii remote, his red-orange hair bouncing and his tongue stuck between his teeth in concentration. Ai seemed more relaxed, but the glint in his eye showed just how badly he wanted to win, and he didn’t glance up to say hi until he had passed the finish line in first place.

“Dammit!” Momo yelled, slumping back his seat when he came in second. I chuckled as he pouted, setting down my bag and joining them on the couch.

“Hi, Rin-senpai!” Ai said.

“Yo,” I replied, reaching for an extra controller and turning it on. “So who's up for a battle? I think it’s time to put you kids in your place.” I smirked as I switched my controller with Momo, dubbing myself player number 1 and going to the menu screen.

“Hey!” Momo whined, to which I just shot a pointy-toothed grin. “Fine. But I’ll beat you, senpai!”

“We’ll see.” I selected battle mode, and proceeded to pick my character. I always chose Toad, and so I went with blue Toad because the color reminded me of a certain pair of eyes. Momo chose Baby Mario, while Ai went with Yoshi, and soon the countdown had begun.

Halfway through our game, Sosuke showed up. We were all too absorbed to say anything more than a rushed “Hey” before Momo and I continued to throw taunts at each other. Ai was surprisingly good, and soon we were down to the last thirty seconds of the game.. But Rin Matsuoka always finds a way, an in the end, I was announced the victor with the most points.

“Ha! In your face!” I yelled, grinning like a maniac. Momo groaned and put his head in his hands while Ai just chuckled.

“Congrats, Rin,” Sosuke said, sitting next to me. “But can you keep it up?” There was a challenge in that question, and I immediately quieted down.

“Well well,” Sei said, grinning as he took Momo’s controller and took a seat. “Looks like we have another match to play. Since Momo lost, I’ll take over.”

“Oh, you’re on.” I was determined now, and I would definitely NOT lose. Ai and I chose the same characters, and Sei chose Mario. Sosuke, the bastard, decided to take the challenge further and choose Toad, the red one. Now it was also a battle to determine the best Toad.

I would take those suckers down.

I ended up on Sei's blue team, but we had a way of deciding who was the actual winner, regardless of teams. Whoever had the most points in the end won. I started off with a turbo boost as soon as the words “GO” appeared on screen, and went straight for the nearest item box. I got a banana peel, which I laid down behind me while I searched for another box. A green shell zoomed past me, missing me by a centimeter.

“Damn, missed!” Sosuke cursed.

A quick glance at the other players’ screens showed me that Ai had a Star and Sei had a red shell, both deadly weapons that could take away my precious balloons. Of course, Sei's item wouldn't do anything to me since we were on the same team, but still. I got a red shell as well, right at the moment that Sosuke and I were passing each other. We launched our items at the same time, and the two collided, cancelling each other out.

There was a chorus of “Oooh!”s, and I yelled, “Yes!”

Ai was staying quiet, not drawing any attention to himself. He used his star and hit Sei, successfully taking down one of Mario's balloons.

“Shit, Ai. You’re a silent demon,” Sei said in awe. If I looked, I would probably see Ai smiling.

Instead, I was rejoicing over the fact that I had three red shells at my disposal, circling around Toad. I launched one, and it hit Yoshi dead on. There was a flash on screen as Mario got hit with a lightning bolt, cursing under his breath. I let loose another red shell, hitting red Toad dead on.

“Take that, motherfucker!” I yelled in triumph.

“Just wait, Rin. I’ll get you back.” Sosuke’s words weren’t a threat, they were a promise. I had to watch myself. Sosuke lost another balloon when he got hit by Mario, successfully earning Sei a point.

My third red shell hit Yoshi, which had Momo saying, “Ooh, watch out, Ai!”

Ai doubled his efforts hitting Mario with a spiked shell. Sei lost a point when all three of his balloons were gone, and waited to respawn.

Sosuke finally got me back with a banana peel, of all things. He was laughing evilly as he sped by me. “Take that! Payback!”

Time was ticking, and we only had one minute left. Sei was back in the game, and he was quickly earning points. I dodged where I could, but it was difficult to stay in the lead when Sosuke was on my ass and Ai was ruthless.

I got a trio of green shells, and I knew I had to be careful with these. Aim was what mattered with these items. My first shell missed everyone completely, and I concentrated on making my next one count. I saw red Toad in my field of vision, and I did my best to aim at the speeding character. I shot the shell.

And hit him right on the money.

“Gotcha!” I exclaimed. Thirty seconds remained. My heart was pounding as I raced Toad across the field, dodging stray banana peels and keeping my eye out for item boxes and other players. Sosuke was the one who hit Mario with his star power, but I got him a second later.

“Come and get it, Sosuke. You’re going _down_.”

“Not if you go down first,” he shot back easily.

My next item was a ghost, which made me keep glancing at Sosuke’s screen to see what item he had. He had a banana peel, which he quickly set down. I made a mental note to avoid that area. He hit another item box, and I watched closely as I drove, waiting for the moment when the item was chosen. I would have a split second to steal it before Sosuke used it.

The item turned out to be a spiked shell, and as soon as I saw it, I used my ghost.

Sosuke pressed the button a fraction of a second too late.

I had the shell, and I used it.

The shell honed in its target while Sosuke chanted, “No, no, no, no!” I watched in satisfaction as red Toad was hit, his last balloon popping. He lost a point with ten seconds left in the game, and I quickly made those count. Ai hit me with a shell, but I got him with a banana. The grin on my face spread wide, because as soon as Sosuke respawned, I hit him with my star power right as the clock hit zero.

“YES! In your face, Sosuke! I’ll always be the best Toad!” My points were the highest, I have to say, it felt good to win.

“Damn,” he said, leaning back. He was smiling, though, which was good to see. “I’ll beat you next time for sure.”

“Keep dreaming.”

"Well, that was intense," Sei commented. “But hey, it’s bright and sunny out. It’s starting to get colder, so why don’t we take advantage of the warmth while we can?”

We all knew what he was talking about, and there was no argument. I leaped up and grabbed my bag, pulling out my swimsuit (which was a pair of black and red leg skins). Sosuke got his own and shuffled off to the downstairs bathroom. The rest of us headed upstairs, the brothers to their respective rooms to change and Ai and me to take the other two bathrooms upstairs. With the door locked behind me, I stripped my clothes, making sure to fold them neatly so they wouldn’t get wrinkled. I slipped on my leg skins, taking a moment to admire myself in the mirror.

I left the bathroom and headed down the stairs, finding Sosuke standing there, stretching his muscles.

“Let’s hit the pool,” he said, to which I nodded. I stretched as well, listening to the footsteps as the others came down the stairs. Sei had a stack of towels in his arms, and we all proceeded to slide open the glass door and head to the backyard.

The pool was a nice size; all five of us could swim around freely without bumping into one another. Still, it wasn't big enough to race, so my competitiveness of earlier faded away as I dived into the water. My head broke the surface as I floated, and I ran a hand through my wet hair. I could see spots of sunlight dancing on the edge of the pool from where they reflected off my piercings.

The guys swam lazily around me, Sei floating on his back next to me. Momo started a splash war with Ai, and I was hit directly in the face by a splash of water.

"Oi, watch it!"

"S-sorry, Rin-senpai!" Ai apologized, bowing his head. Momo took that opportunity to splash him, cackling like a maniac while Ai shook the water out of his hair.

"You too, Momo," I said, sending my own splash his way. I was distracted didn't notice the devious grin on Sosuke's face, and a moment later, I felt something around my ankle. My eyes widened and I sucked in a breath a split second before I was pulled underwater.

I didn't go very far underwater, given the depth of the pool, but I was still under and had to kick to the surface. I gasped for air, sending a glare at Sosuke, who was laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.

"You bastard," I said, but there was no real heat in my voice. "You're so going to pay for that."

And so a real splash war started between the five of us. We were like little kids, splashing water at each other and dunking someone else underwater. At one point I got my arms under Sosuke's, falling back and dragging him under with me. In the water, I flipped us over and gave him a push before going back to the surface.

When he came up, I stuck my tongue out at him, my piercing glinting in the light.

"Gotcha, asshole," I said teasingly. "I win this round."

He stared at me for a second, his cheeks taking on a tint of pink. He looked away, clearing his throat before responding. "Whatever. We're tied; you haven't beaten me yet."

I shrugged, keeping an eye out for the others in case they decided to attack.

"Best two out of three, then."

He looked at me then, and there was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite put my finger on. He smiled softly, and I wondered what I could have said to make him look like that. I let it slide, though, because I really had no idea what was going on now and some part of me didn't want to dig deeper.

"You're on," he said, and now his normal face was back, challenging with that trademark smirk of his.

I took that challenge, we tried to dunk each other's heads under the water while the others shot water at each other (at some point Momo got water guns). We were such children, and none of felt any regret.

After an hour in the pool, our skin was starting to get pruny and we were all out of breath. We dragged ourselves out of the pool, each grabbing a towel to dry off as we enjoyed the sun. Thankfully, it wasn't very cloudy out, and the sun's rays helped dry us.

I laid on the ground, absorbing the sun with my eyes closed. It was so peaceful, and I took a deep breath and basked in the moment.

I felt this prickling sensation all over my skin, as if someone was staring at me. I felt self-conscious, because I couldn't see and I honestly felt kind of awkward. I opened my eyes and looked around, but everyone else was looking elsewhere. Ai and Momo were chatting, Sei was drying his hair, and Sosuke's back was to me. Strange, I thought. Must've been my imagination.

Eventually, we all went inside and took turns taking five minute showers. All fresh and clean, we gathered in the living room once again, sitting in silence.

"We are such children," Sei said, chuckling.

"We never really grow up," I said. "We're just forced to adopt the persona of an adult to fit into society."

Everyone went silent, staring at me. I raised an eyebrow, and Momo nodded his head, looking serious.

"That was deep, senpai."

Well, seemed like I was hanging with a certain literature major too much. He seemed to have rubbed off on me.

"Alright guys," Sei said, getting down to business. "Let's have a vote for which board game we're gonna play."

Yes, we played board games on our bonding days. Don't judge.

Monopoly (the old kind with the paper money) won, and I handed out the right amounts of money. We all picked our pieces: Sei was the hat, Momo took the boat, Ai chose the shoe, Sosuke went with the car, and I picked the dog.

We'd only played this game a few times before because we all got crazy competitive, but it was fucking fun.

As the game started, things quickly got heated up. Properties were taken, rent was paid, and we all started cracking up over the stupidest things. Sosuke landed on the same property as I did, and he had a shit eating grin as he pretended to run over my dog with his car.

"What the fuck, Sosuke!" I choked out through my laughter. "Stop running over my dog, you bastard!"

Everyone was busting a nut over that stupid display, and I couldn't stop shaking as my laughter took my breath away. I managed to calm down just enough to roll, and landed on Park Place, which I quickly bought. Sei was next, and he got Community Chest.

"Looks like I won second place in a beauty contest. Second place? That's bull. I'd win first with these looks." He looked completely offended as he took the money he was supposed to get, and that just made us laugh harder.

"My turn!" Ai rolled, and landed on States Avenue, buying it and successfully owning three properties of the same color. His innocent features twisted into a deviant smirk for a moment as he looked over the board, and I had a feeling we were in trouble.

"My tuuuurn!" Momo rolled, landing on Income Tax, to which he wailed in despair, much to our amusement.

From then on, things got more serious. At some points we would get annoyed with each other, and at others we would be laughing like crazy people.

"Pleeeaaase senpai!" Momo begged me, his lip protruding in a pout and his eyes sparkling. "Ventnor and 2 hundred for just Pacific! That's like the best deal ever!"

"No way, Momo," I held my ground, swearing not to be swayed by his pout. "Ai's already armed with a shit ton of houses. I'm not giving you leverage too."

"But senpaiii!"

"A no's a no."

He begged some more, but I refused. I noticed Sosuke running my dog over again, and I yelled at him again.

"My dog'll pee on your fucking leather seats, asshole! Your stupid car'll be ruined!"

Everyone seemed to find that hilarious, because they were all crying at that point. My own cheeks were flushed and my face was hurting from smiling so much, but it felt good. That is, until I landed on one of Ai's properties that had two houses on it. The worst part? It was Boardwalk, the most expensive property that /no one ever landed om. Expect me. Because my luck sucks like that.

"Dammit!" I yelled.

Ai snickered behind his hand, looking completely evil compared to the little angel he always was.

"Pay up, Rin-senpai," he said gleefully. I forked over $600 grumbling under my breath.

"I SWEAR TO GOD, SOSUKE, IF YOU RUN OVER MY DOG ONE MORE TIME I'M GOING TO BREAK YOUR FUCKING NECK!"

Needless to say, everyone was dying at that point from laughing so hard. The game went on with no end in sight. None of us went bankrupt, but after four hours, Ai was owning everyone. It took just one landing on his hotel to make Momo sell everything he had, and Ai was rich with both properties and money.

At that point, we all just gave up, because the game was taking forever to finish. We just concluded that Ai, the sneaky devil, won.

"Well, now I know why he picked the shoe," Sei said, putting everything away. "He completely kicked our asses."

Ai looked proud of himself, and though I hated losing, I was happy for him.

"Okay guys," Sei said, standing up. "We should get started on dinner. Rin, join me in the kitchen. Dinner will be ready in an hour, guys."

I stood, stretching my numb legs and following Sei to the kitchen to get started on the food. He took out rice, beef, the steak, and various other things for the meal. I grabbed an extra apron and tied it around my waist, going to wash my hands.

"So, what're we making?" I asked, looking over the assortment of ingredients.

"Well, I'm making rice and beef curry. You'll do the steak and some kind of sauce to put on it, since you're good at that kind of thing."

"And mashed potatoes," I added. "We have to have those."

Sei shrugged, washing his own hands in the sink. "A half Japanese, half Western dinner. Perfect."

And so we got to cooking. I set up the grill pans, letting them heat up while I chopped the potatoes to boil. Sei started on the curry, putting the rice in the cooker. We stayed silent as we worked, listening to the others playing video games in the other room.

The silence didn't last long, though, because Sei decided to break it.

"So..." He said, glancing over at me. I raised an eyebrow before returning to my task. "Nanase, huh?"

My hand slipped, and I almost chopped my finger off with the knife. It missed, thankfully.

"Where did that come from?" I asked, regaining my composure. Bringing Haru up was completely random, but it set my heart racing when I thought of the way his hand had squeezed my knee in support a few days ago.

"I don't know, I just thought you've been happier lately. Glad you found someone you like."

I could feel myself blushing, but I focused on cooking instead of the heat rising in my cheeks.

"Well, what about you?" I asked, not denying that I found someone I liked. "You were hitting on Makoto pretty hard."

Looking over, I was able to catch how Sei's golden eyes lit up at the name.

"Makoto's perfect," he said in a loving tone. "We've been texting a lot since we exchanged numbers. We've been talking about all kinds of things; our future careers, goals, life in general. He's working so hard to be a firefighter, and he says he wants to volunteer at the local department to get some experience."

I couldn't help but smile at my friend. He looked so happy talking about Makoto, and I could tell he was really attached. I was happy for him, and hoped everything worked out for him.

"I didn't even know you were into guys 'till a couple of days ago," I said, putting the pieces of steak onto the pan.

"I swing both ways. Love is love, right?"

"Exactly," I said with a smile.

"So what about you and Nanase?" And there was that blush again. "You finally got his number."

"We've been texting occasionally. Mostly, we're trying to figure out a day and time to set up a study session. I promised I'd help him with his English."

"Maybe you can try next weekend," he suggested.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking." I stopped my movements, looking up at him. "I'm really looking forward to it, you know? Spending more time with him... I just feel like learning everything I can about him."

Sei grinned, showing off his perfect teeth. "I know exactly how you feel. Keep it up, Rin. I think this'll be good for you."

I smiled, getting back to cooking. "Thanks, Sei."

"By the way," he added. "I'm having a Halloween party on the 31st. It's a Saturday, so we'll close up the cafe early. Why don't you invite Nanase? I'll be asking Makoto to come, and Momo will invite Hazuki and Ryuugazaki. Of course, Gou-kun is invited too. But you should ask Nanase; never know what might happen."

I lit up at the idea of getting to spend time with Haru outside of the cafe. "Awesome! Thanks, Sei, I'll do that!"

He gave me a friendly shoulder bump, since he couldn't clap my back with his dirty hand. My thoughts flew to Haru, and I imagined talking to him without being on a time limit to get back to work. It would be fun, no doubt, to hang out with everybody, and getting to be near Haru would be an added bonus. Of course, I'd have to keep an eye on him and Sosuke (I still had no clue what was going on with those two), but I was sure I could handle it. I could imagine his cute little smile and his ocean blue eyes lit up with joy. God, I wanted to see him now. Since when had I wanted to spend all my time with him?

I wanted to send him a text, but I had to focus on the food. Besides, today was a Sharkbait Crew day, and I wanted to dedicate it all to my best friends. I could talk to Haru tomorrow.

The food was finished cooking soon enough, and the most delicious smells filled the kitchen. Sei and I made up five plates, setting the table.

"Oi, get in here!" I called to the others. "Food's ready!"

Momo came bursting into the kitchen, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the meal. Ai and Sosuke followed close behind, taking their seats. We ate while we talked about random things, and Sei and I were complimented on how good everything was.

When we finished eating, Sosuke, Ai, and Momo had to take care of the dishes since Sei and I cooked. In the meantime, the two of us set up the living room for the movies. We wouldn't be watching all five, of course, since that would take way too long. Instead, we all agreed to watch the movies Momo and I had picked out, and save the other three for another time. I broke out the snacks: chips and dip, popcorn, and a shit ton of candy to make our teeth rot.

Once the others were done with the dishes, we all settled down on the couch. I sat between Sei and Sosuke, Sosuke's arm and thigh brushing against mine gently. I tried to move away a bit, but there wasn't much room, so I just stayed put. Sosuke didn't seem like he'd be moving to let me be more comfortable either, so I just let it be.

First we popped in Momo's movie, and as soon as the menu screen came up, Sei said, "You're kidding me. " _Finding Nemo_ , Momo? Really?"

"It's a good movie!" Momo said in his defense while I chuckled. Seemed like both of our movies tonight would be American titles. It was a good thing we were all pretty good at English (me being the best) and that the movies had subtitles.

We all went for the snacks as the movie started. I have to admit, I really fucking loved this movie. It was a classic, and I'm sure everyone else loved it too. Even Sei. He just wanted to seem all cool. I could see how absorbed he was.

We watched, commenting every now and then, and I couldn't stop myself from saying "dude" every time the turtles said it. They were my favorite characters up until this day, especially Crush. Of course, I loved the sharks too. Always love the sharks.

We had finished a bag of chips, most of the popcorn, and a bunch of candy by the time the movie was over. I was starting to get a little scared, though, because of the movie I had chosen. Maybe we should have saved Finding Nemo for after.

"Alright Rin, what've you got?"

I dug through my bag and pulled out a DVD, handing it to Sei. He looked at the cover, raising an eyebrow.

" _The Fault in Our Stars_? Isn't that the new cancer movie about those two teenagers?"

Well, he completely butchered that summary. Still, I nodded in response, bracing myself. I hadn't watched the movie before, so it'd be my first time. However, I had read the book, and I ended up crying for hours over that story. I could only imagine what the movie would do to me. God, why did I choose this again?

But I stayed strong, keeping my eyes glued to the screen, smiling whenever Augustus would say something intelligent. He reminded me of Haru, actually. Which made it even more heart wrenching when he broke the horrible news to Hazel Grace, and I bit my lip, knowing the worst feelings had yet to come.

Tears were slipping down my cheeks when it got to the point that Isaac and Hazel Grace were reciting their eulogies at the "pre-funeral" that Augustus wanted. That part always broke my heart. I could hear sniffling coming from a right, and I found that Momo and Ai were silently crying as well. Damn these movies and their ability to shatter our hearts.

A while later, I found myself on the ground, my back against the sofa, stuffing sour gummy worms into my mouth as I shook with sobs. It was the funeral, and I was breaking apart. I stuffed my face, sobbing and trembling uncontrollably, thick tears streaming down my face. Sosuke rubbed my back, making soft shushing sounds that were no help at all. I was a mess.

"Hey," Sei said softly, patting my head. "It'll be okay."

"Okay?! THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THEIR ALWAYS!" And I sobbed even more, my heart shattering into a million pieces.

Suffice it to say that I was wreck by the time the credits rolled. Everyone always said I cried too easily, but that movie had torn my entire being apart. I was blowing my nose, dabbing at my eyes as Sei replaced the DVD in its case.

"You okay, Rin-senpai?" Ai asked, his eyes red from crying.

I just nodded not trusting my voice.

"Well, that was an emotional rollercoaster," Sosuke commented, letting out a deep sigh. I stayed silent, still recovering from the amount of tears I had shed.

We all sat there for a few minutes, huddled together in silence. It was nice, really, and I was glad I had the guys with me. Plus, I was grateful no one teased me for crying so much.

Sei sighed. "And so ends another Sharkbait Crew Bonding day. Damn, I feel like I love you guys a little more every month."

"That's so sappy, Nii-chan," Momo said, but he was smiling.

And pretty soon, I was smiling too. Because these guys had become like family to me; they'd come into my life and made a permanent home there, and I couldn't see myself without my friends by my side. I loved them all, and I couldn't have asked for greater people in my life.

I was crying again, but this time for completely different reasons. I was happy. I had my friends, who were all somewhat like brothers to me, and I couldn't ask for more.

After a while, Ai, Sosuke, and I started to get our things together to leave. We still had work in the morning, and it was getting pretty late.

"It was fun," I said to Sei, giving him a smile. "Can't wait till next month."

"And don't forget about the Halloween party, guys!" Momo reminded us.

We assured him that we'd be there, and after a few more farewells, the three of is were out the door. We walked together for a little bit, until Ai had to go a different direction to get home.

"Bye, Rin-senpai, Sosuke-senpai!" He said, waving as he walked away. We waves back, then continued on our way home.

"For all the complaining we do, we sure do love these days," he said.

I smiled, knowing exactly how he felt. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe we shouldn't complain so much about them, then."

"Nah, it's still fun to complain." He grinned, and I returned it in full. When we got to the point where we had to split, I stopped and held up my fist.

"See you tomorrow, Sosuke."

He bumped my fist with his own. "G'night, Rin."

We went our separate ways to our homes, and I breathed in the chilly night air. The stars were out and the moon was shining, and I took a moment to appreciate that before unlocking my door and stepping inside the apartment.

I quickly got ready for bed, not wanting to do anything other than sleep. I flopped into bed with just my boxers on, wrapping myself up in my comforter and breathing in deep. Sleep was already on the verge of taking me under, and I let it do so happily, content with my life for the first time in a long while.

Because even though I had no idea what my future held for me, I had some amazing people by my side that my life brighter than any star.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked that chapter! Yes, my cousin had the tendency of running over my dog piece in Monopoly, and my reactions are very close to Rin's. The next chapter, which will be up this Wednesday, will be kind of interesting. I'm really looking forward to that ;)  
> Everything that happens to Rin in Monopoly, I write from personal experience. Except I win most of the time.
> 
> Also, WE'VE REACHED 100 KUDOS! Thank you guys sooo much! Your comments are what keep me going, I swear. I love you all!!


	7. Bad Days Can Turn Into Something Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin has a bad day at work, but he makes some new friends, at least. He ends up ruining one of Haru's sweaters, and vows to buy him a new one. Cue date that is not a date but he really wishes it was a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (click on the link in the story that says "sweater" to see the new sweater.)

"Here's your latte, sir. Have a nice day!"

The man gave a curt nod, taking his cup and leaving the cafe. I let my smile drop, letting out a sigh as I stretched my neck.

It was Tuesday morning, and the day had been utter crap so far. I woke up with a crick in my neck from having slept in an awkward position last night. Then when I was getting ready for work, I noticed my beanie had a thread loose. When I pulled it, the whole thing had started to unravel, and I had to throw my favorite hat away. When I arrived at work, beanieless and with a sore neck, I was already grumpy.

Then of course, some asshole customer had to go and complain about how his coffee wasn't a certain temperature and how he was "never coming here again." I wanted to throttle the guy, but I managed to hold back. And if that wasn't bad enough, Haru had texted me saying that he would be coming in late in the afternoon, instead of in the morning as usual. Something about studying for an upcoming exam with Makoto.

So now I had to wait hours to see Haru to uplift my spirits. Fucking fantastic.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Leave it to Sosuke to make annoying comments.

"I did, actually," I said in annoyance. "My neck is killing me. And I have to buy a new beanie because my old one is ruined."

"You poor thing." I could hear the sarcasm in his voice, and I gave him my most unimpressed expression.

"And Haru's not coming in till like 4. Today sucks ass." I mumbled grumpily, leaning on the counter and putting my head in my hands.

"Well, at least that's some good news."

I shot him a glare, to which he gave me an innocent look back.

"Shut up, Sosuke."

Thankfully, the bell jingled at that exact moment, successfully cutting off any retort he could have made. I plastered a smile on my face, because Sosuke turned away to let me deal with these customers. Bastard.

Two guys came up to the counter together. One was tall, with unruly brown hair that looked like it had never met a comb. His skin was a nice tan color, and he looked around the cafe in wonder, like he had never seen such a place before. He had the most exotic turquoise eyes I had ever seen. The other was significantly shorter than the first, with sharp, steel gray eyes that pierced through everything. His black hair was styled in an undercut, and his expression made it seem like he like he had a permanent frown on his face. Even now, he looked completely unimpressed as he looked over the menu.

"Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe," I greeted.

The tall guy jumped, his eyes widening as he looked at me in surprise. I guess he hadn't noticed me, or was taking in the metal on my face. He gave a tentative smile, clutching tightly to his short companion's hand. I just now realized that their fingers were locked together.

" _Um, Levi, I have no idea what that guy just said_ ," the tall one whispered to his friend, who hadn't even looked my way when I greeted him. I raised an eyebrow, because the guy had just spoken in English. Well, that explained a few things.

" _He greeted us_ ," the short one, Levi, responded. I guess he knew Japanese. Still, I figured I should switch languages, because the tall guy still looked nervous and slightly uncomfortable, and I felt kind of bad for him.

"Hi there," I greeted in English. "Sorry, I didn't know you weren't from around here. Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe."

That finally got a response from the Levi, who looked up at me with that same deadpan expression. The tall guy's eyes widened, and he said in awe, "You speak English!"

I chuckled, nodding my head. "Yep. I figured it'd be easier for you if I switched."

"Oh, thank God." He breathed a sigh of relief, offering me a wide smile. "Thanks for that. My name's Eren. You're right, we're not from around here, so it's kind of tough for me. Thankfully, Levi here can speak Japanese fluently."

He motioned to his companion, who looked utterly bored with the conversation.

"Come on, Levi, introduce yourself," Eren said, nudging the other with his shoulder.

Levi sighed, speaking in a low voice. "Whatever. I'm Levi. Can I get my fucking coffee now?"

Well, he sure had an interesting way of talking.

"I'm Rin," I responded. "And yeah, you can. What'll you guys have?"

"Black for me, and a Pumpkin Spice for the brat," Levi droned. Did the guy never smile?

"Okay, got it. I'll have that ready in just a minute."

Eren was the one who thanked me, still smiling. He seemed friendly, so I decided to start a conversation with him while I got their coffee ready. Not to mention his boyfriend (or so I assumed) was scary as fuck.

"So Eren," I said while working, "What brings you guys to Japan? Do you live in the States?"

He nodded enthusiastically, happily jumping into the conversation. "Yeah, we live in the States. We just wanted to find an interesting place to visit, you know? My adopted sister is Japanese, and Levi is fluent in the language, so I thought Japan would be a cool place to visit for our... Um, h-honeymoon."

That surprised me, and as I turned to look, I saw that his cheeks were bright pink and he looked slightly scared. Levi was glaring at me, as if threatening me to make some kind of bad comment about their sexuality. Even if I was prejudiced, I wouldn't want to say anything to piss that short guy off. I was just surprised, because the two seemed like complete opposites. To think that they were married, that was interesting.

I gave Eren a reassuring smile, letting him know that it was okay. "Honeymoon, huh? That's great. Of course, same-sex marriage is illegal over here, so I'd have to go out of the country if I wanted to get married."

Eren looked surprised, gasping and inching closer to the counter like an excited kid.

"You're gay too?" He asked, whispering it so no one else could hear.

I grinned, giving him a thumbs up. "Dicks before chicks, I like to say."

He looked positively relieved that I wouldn't badmouth them, and even more astounded that I was actually like them. Soon he was bouncing on his toes in excitement, stilling holding onto Levi's hand.

I finished making their coffee, sliding the black coffee over to Levi, who paid for the drink with an annoyed expression. He didn't say anything, though, probably because his husband looked so excited. I took an extra moment to shape Eren's foam into something unique, smirking as I handed him the drink. As soon as he saw it, his cheeks turned a violent shade of red.

Because I had made a dick out of the foam of his coffee.

Embarrassed, he quickly blew over it to get rid of the image. I laughed, because he looked so mortified but was starting to laugh as well.

Levi rolled his eyes, muttering something that sounded like "brats" before Turning to Eren. "I'll get us a table. Take this and get whatever dessert you want. Don't chat too long, though, or I'll leave your ass here." He handed Eren some money, pecking his lips before taking their drinks to find a table. Eren watched him go, a smile on his face and love burning in his eyes.

"He seems... Interesting," I said, drawing Eren's attention back to me.

He giggled, smiling wide. "I know he seems kind of unapproachable, but Levi's actually really sweet. If you ignore the language that comes out of his mouth."

"Oh really? It looks like you're happy, though. And congrats on getting married, by the way."

"Thanks! I've never been happier in my life, really."

The more I talked to Eren, the more he seemed like a nice guy. We spent the next few minutes chatting while he picked out his dessert, and I learned that he was in fact 22 and fresh out of college, while Levi was 29. He talked about how America was, and how he was liking Japan so far. In return, I told him how I'd been to Australia before, and how I had a sister too.

"So, do you have a boyfriend?" He asked, before realizing what he said. "O-of course, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to! Just thought I'd ask..."

I laughed, shaking my head. "It's cool. And no, I don't have a boyfriend... I do have a-a crush, though." And oh, was I crushing on Haru. I'd even thought of how his lips would feel against mine, a thought that I had been starting to mull over more often lately.

"That's great! Hey, I'm sure that crush'll turn into something great soon enough. It was the same for me and Levi."

"You think so?" He nodded, looking determined and convinced. I couldn't help but smile. Here was this guy I just met, encouraging me that everything in my love life would work out. "Thanks, man."

He grinned, before glancing back at his table where Levi sat, checking his phone.

"I should go, though," he said, picking up his  plate of cake. "We wanted to have a coffee date today, and I don't want to keep him waiting. But hey, it was fun talking to you!"

"Likewise. It was nice to meet you, Eren."

He began to walk off, but stopped, seeming to remember something. He rushed back to the counter, putting down his plate and digging through his pocket.

"Hey, how about we exchange numbers?" He asked, which caught me off guard. "That way we can keep in touch, even when Levi and I go back to the States. You can rant to me about boy troubles too, if you want." He smirked at that, and I mirrored it with my own.

"Alright. Sure Levi won't get jealous, though?" I teased in good fun. He laughed, handing me his phone while I gave him mine.

"He knows I'd never cheat on him."

"That's good. People should be committed to their partners, after all." I typed in my name and number, saving it and handing it back to him. "And now, feel free to text me and ask about local places, if you'd like. I know this town like the back of my hand. If you ever need help with anything, don't hesitate."

He lit up, handing me my phone, which now had the contact of "Eren Jeager" in it.

"That would be awesome. Thanks, Rin. I'll talk to you soon, then."

With a wave, he went over to the table Levi sat at, taking a seat and beginning to talk immediately. I watched as Levi's expression stayed the same, but something in his cold eyes softened. He reached across the table to take Eren's hand, which happened to be his left. I saw a gold band glinting on his finger.

Damn, I wish I had something like that. It would have been amazing if Haru and I could be like that one day. The thought made my heart skip a beat.

"Making new friends, eh?" Sosuke came up beside me, looking at the couple enjoying their date.

"What can I say? I'm popular."

He rolled his eyes, putting on a smile as a customer came in. I got back to work too, glancing up at the clock every now and then. It was still early afternoon, so I had a couple of hours to go till the object of my affection came in. After seeing Eren and Levi like that, I was itching to see Haru and his cute smile.

But life is a bitch, and it decided that today would be filled with asshole customers complaining about one thing or another. I used my friendliest tone with them, but my eyebrow twitched in irritation. I drummed my fingers on the counter to keep myself from punching something.

Slowly, the hours dragged by. I was starting to get a headache, so Sei made me swallow down some pills. He even made me eat a muffin so I'd feel better, and told me to take ten minutes to just relax. Which I did, gratefully.

Eren invited me to his table, though I hesitated because I really didn't want to interrupt their date. Levi didn't threaten me, though, so I figured it was alright. I took my coffee and muffin and joined them, putting my head down on the table.

"Rough day?" Eren asked.

"You have no idea. Today sucks ass." I groaned, massaging my temples.

"Jobs like these are always shitty," Levi said, looking dead serious. "My friend Petra once made me help out at the coffee shop she owns. I'm surprised there were no dead bodies."

"It's not always like this," I said. "It's usually fun around here. But everyone has their days, I suppose."

The other two hummed in response, and we fell into a comfortable silence. I ate my muffin ("Why the fuck are your teeth like that?" Levi asked), and I slowly sipped at my coffee.

I was distracted when the bell jingled, and a familiar figure came into the cafe. I immediately lit up.

"Haru!" I called, a smile making its way to my lips. He stopped, looking confused for a moment as he turned in my direction. I waved him over, feeling giddy. God, it'd only been a day and I had missed him so much.

Today, Haru wore a deep maroon sweater with dark jeans, his bag hanging by his side as always. As he approached, he took in the sight of my two table-mates; Levi looked bored as ever, and Eren eyed Haru curiously, looking back and forth between us.

When Haru got closer, I stood up quickly to greet him, coffee cup still in hand. Big mistake.

Because my foot caught on the leg of my chair, and I stumbled.

Warm coffee spilled all over Haru's sweater, and the shock of the stumble made me reach out instinctively to find something to hang on to. It turned out to be the soiled sweater, which jerked down at the force my hold.

_Riiip._

I stared, eyes wide at the mess I made. Not only was the maroon sweater soaking wet with coffee, but now the neck of it had ripped and stretched beyond repair.

It felt as if the whole cafe had gone silent to draw attention to the incident. Haru looked shocked, frozen in place. He had reflexively grabbed my arm to steady me, and was still stuck in that position. Eren gaped, and I faintly heard Levi mutter "Clumsy ass."

I regained my senses at that, and quickly straightened up, looking at Haru.

"Shit, holy fuck, _shit_ ," I cursed in Japanese, frantic about the damage. "Haru, shit Haru, I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Rin-"

"Fuck, I'm sorry, it was an accident. I really didn't mean to fuck up-"

"Rin!"

I stopped babbling when he raised his voice, shooting me a stern look before letting his gaze soften.

"Stop swearing," he said.

"Oh shit, sorry! I mean- fuck, I did it again. I mean-"

He cut me off by putting his hand over my mouth, which not only shut me up, but made my face flush as well.

"Stop swearing, Rin," he said again, taking his hand away. "It's okay."

 _Okay_? How could it be okay?! His sweater was ruined! One of the sweaters he looked so goddamn cute in!

"It's not okay!" I said, maybe a little too loudly. "Look, take that off first so your shirt doesn't get dirty."

I had put the cup down by now, hovering over Haru as I frantically assessed the damage. He calmly unbuttoned the ruined sweater, peeling it off. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the shirt underneath hadn't been stained.

"Crap, I'm so, so sorry, Haru," I apologized again, watching him fold the sweater.

"I told you, it's okay. It was an accident."

I shook my head, completely unsatisfied with that.

"No, it's not. Look, let me make it up to you, okay? I'll buy you a new sweater."

"Rin, there's no need-"

"Please." I interrupted, making sure he understood that I would not let this go. For some reason, Haru's sweater meant a lot to me, so there was no way I was going to let this happen without getting him a new one. "Just let me do this, okay?"

He was silent for a moment, thinking it over. Finally, he sighed, and I knew I had won.

"Fine. But just remember that it's completely unnecessary."

I ignored him, giving him a grin instead and offering my seat.

"Great! Sit down, and I'll go get some rags to clean this up."

He hesitated, looking at the other two men at our table.

"Oh, right," I said, remembering to introduce them. "Haru, these are my new friends, Eren and Levi." Then I switched to English so Eren could understand me. "Guys, this is my, uh, _friend_ , Haru."

Eren raised an eyebrow at that, and I could see a smile forming on his lips.

I turned back to Haru, switching to Japanese one again. "Levi speaks Japanese, so he can translate for you. I'll be right back, and I'll get your coffee ready too."

Haru nodded, and I didn't have to ask to know that he would let me decide which coffee to make him. He seemed a little uncomfortable, and I felt kind of bad leaving him there with people he just met. I had to clean up the spill, though, so I had no other choice.

"And I'll get rid of this for you," I added, taking the bundle from his arms. I restrained myself from kissing his cheek, and instead turned on my heel and walked away.

The first thing I did was throw the sweater in the trash. It was kind of sad, really, because Haru looked beyond cute in his slightly too big sweaters. Then, I went and grabbed some rags before stopping at the coffee machines. I got to work making Haru's drink, listening to Sosuke snicker.

"I should've thought about spilling coffee on him too. It's a nice idea." He laughed, eyeing Haru and the others.

I shot him a glare, not finding it funny in the slightest.

"Don't even think about it, Sosuke. I swear I'll never speak to you again if you do that." I exaggerated just a tiny bit, but no one was allowed to spill coffee on my Haru. Not even me, and I mentally kicked myself for being so clumsy.

He gave a dramatic sigh, looking put out. "Fine, I won't. It was a nice idea, though."

I didn't bother responding. Instead, I finished up the coffee, grabbed the rags, and headed back to the table where the other three were doing their best to converse with an irritated Levi acting as translator.

"Don't spill it, butterfingers," Levi smirked when I got within hearing range.

I scowled at him, shifting my attention to Haru. I set the cup in front of him, making sure to avoid the spill on the floor.

"Here you go. This one's on me, so don't worry about it."

He frowned, opening his mouth to argue, but I beat him to it.

"Don't argue, just enjoy." I flashed my pointy teeth before squatting down to clean up the mess on the floor. The sweater had absorbed most of it, so there wasn't much to clean, thankfully.

"Hey," I said, suddenly thinking of an idea. "The cafe closes at six today. If you're not busy, stick around and we can hit the mall afterward."

It was 4:30 now, so it would only be an hour and half long wait. Haru wrapped his fingers around his cup, bringing it to his lips but not taking a sip just yet.

"... Okay."

I grinned at that, feeling absolutely elated. It would be my first time hanging out with Haru outside the cafe, and that fact sent a thrill through me. I could imagine dragging him around the mall while he followed silently. Like a date.

Well damn. Now there's a thought.

I finished cleaning at the same time Haru stood, cup clutched in his hand. I looked at him curiously, making sure the the rag wasn't dripping.

"I'm going to my usual table to write," he explained, before turning and walking away.

Eren seemed at a loss, staring at Haru's back before turning his gaze to me.

I chuckled at his expression. "Haru's like that," I told him. "He's the quiet type."

"Oh," he said. "Okay. So, if he, you know..."

I felt the heat rising to my cheeks, and I nodded, looking down at the rags in my hands.

"Great job casually getting him to go on a date," he laughed.

"I-it's not a date!" I protested.

"But you want it to be."

Well, I couldn't really argue with that.

"Speaking of dates," Levi said, sounding beyond annoyed. "Can we be left the fuck alone so we can get back to our ours?"

"Aww, Levi, don't be so grumpy!" Eren gave his husband the puppy dog look, but Levi wisely averted his eyes.

"No, he's right," I said. "I have to get back to work, anyway. I'll see you guys later."

I left them alone, disposing of the rags before putting my apron back on and taking my position behind the counter. Just a little over an hour to go.

* * *

 

When six o'clock finally rolled around, I hung my apron up and pumped my fists into the air.

"I made it through the day in hell!"

"So dramatic," Sosuke said, wiping down the counter.

"Today was crap, man." My eyes found Haru, who still sat at his table, focused on his writing.

"You should tell Nanase that we're closing so he can get his ass out of here."

I sighed, but started to smile I knew my day would just start to go up from here.

"He's waiting for me, actually," I told Sosuke, quickly cleaning the coffee machines. "I'm taking him to the mall to buy him a new sweater since I totaled the one he wore today."

When I was met with silence, I stopped my motions and looked back at Sosuke. A shadow had crossed over his face and his teal eyes were dark.

"Sosuke?"

"He has like thirty sweaters. Why do you have to take him to get a new one?" He demanded, his tone hard.

I raised my eyebrows. Just what the hell had gotten into him?

"Because I said I would," I answered, determined not to be affected by his attitude. "I needed a new beanie anyway, so it works out."

I thought I heard him mutter something like "bullshit" under his breath, but I ignored him. I swear, one day I'd get those two to be friends, but today was not that day. I had more important things to worry about.

The Crew that was left (which was me, Sosuke, and Sei) did the pre-closing cleaning, thought I may have rushed a little. I couldn't help it; I had a blue-eyed beauty waiting for me.

When we were finished, I quickly ducked into the bathroom. I washed my hands and face, fixing my hair and taking a deep breath. We were just going to the mall, but I wanted to look as good as I could for this impromptu (not) date.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out curiously.

_**From: Eren Jeager** _

_I want all the details of your date ;)_

I smiled down at my phone, shooting back a quick "whatever", before pocketing the device again.

When I was done, I headed out, grabbed my leather jacket, and made my way to Haru's table. I tapped the table top, making him look up.

"Hey. We're locking up now, so you can pack up your stuff," I told him. He nodded, moving to put away his things.

Sei told us to hurry up, or we'd be locked in here for the night (no, my mind did not jump to any possibilities involving Haru and I alone together for the night). Haru tossed his bag over his shoulder, and the four of us headed outside.

It was a little chilly out; it was supposed to rain one of these days, and the sky was teasing us by being cloudy without any actual rain.

"Alright guys, I'll see you all tomorrow," Sei said, locking the doors of the cafe. "And Rin, make sure you get a lot of sleep. I was kind of afraid you're punch somebody today."

I scoffed. As if I'd actually do that. Really.

"Yes, Captain," I said, using the nickname the Crew had come up for him.

"Oh, do you want me to use your nickname?" He said, golden eyes flashing dangerously.

"Hey, you can't complain! Your nickname holds authority."

"Good point. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Sosuke, Haru, _Bitchbaby_."

Sosuke laughed out loud at that, and I could only glare. God, I hated that name.

Haru looked completely confused, but there was amusement in those deep pools of blue too. Great, now what if he started to call me that too?

"Are you sure you don't want to hang out with me instead?" Sosuke asked, sending Haru a scowl. Haru, on the other hand, acted as if Sosuke wasn't there at all.

"I'm pretty sure. Besides, I wouldn't feel right till I got this guy a new sweater. It was a damn nice sweater."

"Rin." Haru sighed my name in exasperation.

"Oh, sorry. But anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, Sosuke."

"Yeah, okay." He didn't bother saying anything to Haru, clapping me on the shoulder and starting to head home.

Haru spoke up then, asking the question I knew would come.

"Why do they call you bitchbaby?" He asked, genuinely curious.

I laughed, realizing that it was the first time I had heard Haru cuss. "Let's save that for another day. Or never. Now, we have a mall to visit and things to buy, so let's go!"

I unconsciously too his hand, dragging him forward with me as I set off in the direction of the bus stop. His fingers were cold, I noticed. I wanted to lace them through mine, warm them up with my own body heat, but I figured that would be pushing the "just friends" line. Instead, I stopped and offered him the jacket I wasn't wearing.

"Why don't you wear this for now? You feel pretty cold."

He averted his eyes, and I thought I could see the faintest hint of pink on his cheeks.

"My body just gets cold easily," he mumbled.

"Then you'd better take the jacket, because cold hands are so not fun."

Hesitantly, he reached out and took the item out of my hands. He slipped it on, and I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling like a girl at the sight.

Haru looked pretty good in leather, but the jacket was a size too big for him. It came down past his hips, and the sleeves covered his fingertips completely. He fiddled with the collar, trying to hide his face, the color in his cheeks growing darker.

"... It's warm," he murmured.

"That's good..." I breathed, taking in the sight of my too-big jacket currently occupied by an embarrassed and blushing Haru. Cute didn't do the image any justice.

The silence stretched on, me staring at Haru and him pulling the jacket closer to him. Eventually, my brain started to work again, and I cleared my throat, finally looking away.

"We should, uh, g-get going." Damn, I stuttered. Way to play it cool, Rin.

Haru nodded, and I took that as my cue to take the lead. I led us to the bus stop, starting up a conversation when I felt like I could look at Haru without doing something embarrassing. I was always the one who talked more, but I had gotten used to Haru's silences and hummed responses. They were comforting, in a way.

When the bus arrived, Haru and I climbed on, finding seats in the back. It was packed at this time, and we had to squeeze in between two middle-aged ladies. It was a tight fit, and we ended up with one of Haru's legs over mine, pressed close together. His dark hair tickled my cheek, his thigh like fire where it was draped over mine.

I really needed to get my blushing under control today.

And my boner.

I willed away any indecent thoughts that popped up (ha) that came with being pressed up so closely with Haru. I didn't need to leave the bus with any awkward situations to ruin my day further.

I had managed to get my heartbeat and thoughts under control by the time our stop came up. Haru got up first, and I followed, getting off the cramped bus and breathing in the fresh air. The mall was only a block away, and we made our way over. The whole time, I felt like I was in paradise, walking beside Haru like it was the most natural thing in the world.

When we entered the mall, I immediately pulled Haru into the best clothing store I knew, leading him to the sweater section.

"Alright, Haru, let's get to sweater picking! Choose whatever you like, and don't-" I stopped talking when I noticed that Haru wasn't by my side anymore. Looking around, I noticed he was going through the large variety of sweaters, completely focused. I chuckled, deciding to help him out.

There were some really interesting choices, to say the least. Some had patterns, some were the oddest colors, and some were just too plain. Smirking, I pulled out a black sweater, showing it to Haru.

"I really think this is your style, Haru," I said, grinning.

The sweater in question had a giant pumpkin on it. Its eyes were in the shape of big red hearts, and it had a tongue lolling out of its mouth. The phrase "Stick your candle in me, baby" was written beneath it in fancy font.

Haru looked me dead in the eye. "Never." He went back to sifting through the hangers in front of him.

"Oh, come on! Get in the Halloween spirit!" He ignored me.

Still, that had reminded me of something extremely important, and I wondered if now was a good time to ask. Mulling it over in my mind, I decided I'd ask him after the shopping trip.

I put the hanger back in its place, a little disappointed that Haru had shot it down so quickly. It would have been a real sight to see him wearing it.

I lazily went back to searching, occasionally pulling out the most ridiculous sweaters that I knew Haru would never wear. It was fun, though, seeing him furrow his brows like the items were an insult to him.

At one point, though, I hit the jackpot.

"Hey, Haru, what about this?" I asked, pulling out a hanger.

He looked up at me, face expressionless as he said, "If it has some lewd implication on it, you can put it back right now."

I laughed at that, raising my hands in innocence.

"It doesn't, I promise. This one' actually really amazing."

I showed him the [sweater](http://www.dhresource.com/albu_292188044_00-1.0x0/new-men-s-knitwear-cardigan-slim-men-s-sweatshirts.jpg) in my hands, watching with satisfaction as his eyes sparkled with delight.

The material of the item was the softest I had ever felt, something that would be sure to keep him warm even on the coldest of days. The sweater, a cardigan, was a rich sapphire color that went perfectly with Haru's eyes. Black made itself known down the center of the sweater, as well as the top of the pockets and the bottom part of the sweater itself. It was a slim fitting type, and the sleeves were long.

Haru's fingers traveled over the fabric, his eyes fixed on it in awe.

"Try it on," I suggested.

After brief eye contact with me, he took off my jacket and gave it back to me. I was sad to see it off of him, but it was worth it when he put on the sweater, buttoning it up.

I really hoped I wasn't gaping, because he looked fucking _hot_. In a sweater.

It hugged his body nicely, the blue looking amazing on him. The black went with his hair, and the sleeves came just up to his fingertips. I looked him over for a minute, before moving forward and taking his hand.

I pulled up the sleeves a bit, scrunching them up until they came halfway down his forearms.

_Hot damn._

Perfect was the only word that came to mind, and I felt as if I was blessed to be able to see this.

"I like it," Haru stated. I could see it in his eyes, though, how much he actually loved the sweater. I smiled, knowing we'd found the perfect choice.

"I do too. You look really good in it," I told him honestly.

He smiled, one of his rare smiles that were reserved for when he was really happy.

"Now that that's done, we're going to find me a new beanie!"

As we walked around, I told Haru about the unfortunate demise of my favorite beanie. He feigned sympathy, and I shoved him playfully. He shoved back, and we almost started a mock fight right in the middle of the mall, until some lady clicked her tongue at us in a disapproving manner.

Old people, always ruining the fun of the young.

When we got to the hats' section, I began my search for the perfect beanie.

"What color should I get?" I asked.

"Your black one looked good." He said, eyeing the different colors.

I nodded, thinking the same.

"I'll just get a simple one." I picked out a black beanie that had a star on the side, finding it to be a nice, soft material.

I was about to announce that I was finished, when my eye caught something amazing.

It was a rainbow beanie.

"Haru, check this out." I held up the beanie for him to see, grinning like a maniac.

"It's... Colorful."

He looked thoroughly confused as to why I would want something so loud colorful.

"Gay pride," I explained, deciding that I needed to add this to my collection.

"Ah, of course." He nodded in understanding, slipping his hands into his pocket.

We were done there, so we decided to check out and pay for our things. Haru was still wearing the new sweater, and refused to take it off, so the cashier had to scan the item while he was still wearing it. As soon as I had paid for the things, I pulled on the rainbow beanie, presenting myself to Haru.

"What do you think?"

He smiled, reaching up to adjust it on my head.

"It's loud, just like you. It fits."

My cheeks were burning, and I swear his hand lingered for a second too long, brushing away a few strands of my hair.

"Do you want to get ice cream?" I blurted out.

He looked at me in confusion, clearly wondering where that came from.

"Th-there's a shop right there, and I could go for something sweet," I explained. I left out the part where I was just stalling so I could spend more time with him. No need to tell him that.

"Alright," he agreed, and I grinned, silently claiming victory.

We both got ice cream cones, Haru's a vanilla caramel flavor and mine a chocolate fudge brownie. We sat at a round table, facing each other as we gave our first licks.

The ice cream was amazing, but I found my attention drifting to the guy across from me. Haru, the mysterious student that I'd met a little over two weeks ago, and who was quickly doing things to my heart that I hadn't felt in like two years.

It was like a shock of electricity every time our fingers brushed when I handed him his coffee. The butterflies in my stomach went crazy whenever he smiled, and I looked forward to seeing him everyday and dreaded the days that I couldn't.

A lot of stupid people assume that gay guys can fall for any guy they see, that's it's just about the sex and they don't care who it is. That assumption always made me furious, because it just frankly wasn't true. Of course, everyone could appreciate a nice body and face, but I wasn't so shallow that I would just jump on any guy I see, like most people would assume.

And that fact was being proved everyday I got to know Haru better. I'd never felt the desire to get to know someone so badly, to hear them talk and to spend as much time with them as possible. But damn, Haru was doing things to me that made me want to just reach out and take his hand, maybe press a kiss to his cheek and smile.

I couldn't, though, because that would be crossing the line and I didn't want to rush anything. Even if this felt like a date, I had to remind myself that it wasn't. I settled for staring at him as we ate our ice cream, making small talk.

"Written anything new lately?" I asked, giving my ice cream a lick.

He was silent for a moment as he dabbed at his lips with a napkin.

"I'm working on a short story for a creative writing class," he answered.

"Oh? What's it about?"

"It's about a girl who gets bullied at school, and whose parents only think of her as a nuisance that they have to take care of," he explained, and I could see the beginning of that light in his eyes, the one he got whenever he talked about writing. "She cuts herself, finding the pain a relief that she can't live without anymore. She only has one friend, who defends her against the bullies and is always there for her. Still, she feels trapped and miserable, and after a particularly rough day at school, she comes home to her parents arguing over work and saying how she's too much trouble to support. The next morning, she feels like she's falling apart, like no one would ever love her, especially if her own parents don't. So she attempts suicide, going for a bottle of pills, but she's stopped when her friend, who picks her up everyday for school, knocks on the door. When she gets no response, she forces it open and effectively stops her from doing something she would regret. Basically, it's a story about how the youth these days deal with difficulties, and believe that they don't have anyone they can rely on. How society and even family can be cruel, and push adolescents to the edge, then falsely mourn for them later. But it shows that all it can take is one person who truly cares to turn things around and be that pillar of support that everyone needs, saving us from our own demons and the ones around us."

I stared at him in amazement, my ice cream forgotten as I got wrapped up in his explanation. He must've took my response the wrong way, though, because he lowered his gaze, blushing in embarrassment.

"Sorry," he said softly. "I got a bit carried away."

I shook my head, giving him a smile. "Don't be. I like hearing you talk, and the story sounds really good. Can I read it when it's done?"

He looked at me in surprise, before slowly nodding his head and muttering out a quiet "yeah". I grinned, excited that I would get to read something Haru wrote.

We finished our desserts in comfortable silence, while I did my best not to stare too much. We threw the napkins away, getting to our feet as I grabbed the bag with my beanies in it.

"It's getting late," Haru said, glancing at his phone. "I have to get back to dorms before it gets too dark."

"Oh," I said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "Okay. Let's head back, then. We can split up after we take the bus."

He agreed, and soon we found ourselves back on the bus. It was mostly empty, which meant there were no more awkward boners, though I still sat as close to him as possible without arousing suspicion. When we got off the bus, I turned to say goodbye to him.

"So... I'll see you tomorrow, then?" I asked, though I knew the answer.

"Yeah... And thanks for the sweater, Rin."

"Don't mention it. I actually had a lot of fun, which I totally needed after the crappy day at work. So I should be thanking you, for making my day better."

He rolled his eyes playfully, clutching his bag close to him.

"I'll be going then." He turned to leave when I remembered something, reaching out to grab his wrist. He stopped, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, I forgot to asked you earlier," I said, hoping he couldn't see my blush in the darkness. "Sei's having a Halloween party on the 31st. Everyone'll be there, even Makoto and the others. So I was wondering if you wanted to come too."

He looked down at his feet, seemingly thinking it over. When he looked back up, he nodded.

"Okay. I'll be there."

The grin that made its way to my face was probably my wildest yet.

"Perfect," I breathed out.

"Now I really have to go," he reminded me, and I was suddenly aware that hand was still around his write. Before I could pull back and apologize, I felt his hand move. He laced his fingers through mine briefly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before pulling away.

"See you tomorrow, Rin."

The gorgeous smile on his lips and the tingling in my fingertips left me stunned and standing there long after he had walked away. When I finally regained my senses, I realized that I needed to get home too, or otherwise I would be standing in the cold all night.

As I started to make my way home, I pulled out my phone, my heart feeling lighter than ever.

_**To: Eren Jeager** _

_That guy will be the death of me_.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. I put Eren and Levi in this chapter. I just love Ereri so much, I HAD to have them in there. And now Rin has a texting buddy!!   
> By the way, the story Haru described is actually a story I wrote for Senior Project last year. Yay for referencing my own work! xD  
> I hope this chapter was okay. I had a bit of trouble writing the second half. I'd love to know your opinions on it.


	8. Red That Stains My Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It turns out Haru knows more than he lets on...

_Haru_

The color red had been invading my thoughts recently, though not in the way most people would think. Some might refer to seeing red as feeling angry, or otherwise seeing it in the form of blood that drains life away. To me, however, the color red meant something different.

It came to me in the form of crimson eyes and deep, wine-red hair. No anger or sadness was felt when I thought of it; quite the opposite, because now the color was associated with toothy grins and the smell of fresh coffee. And like the coffee, it brought with it a strange sense of warmth, one I felt the urge to wrap myself in an never leave.

A warmth that was like fire, developing in my chest and quickly working its way to every inch of my body.

“Haru-chan, can you stop daydreaming so we can get this done?”

Nagisa’s voice snapped me out of my trance, all traces of red disappearing for the moment as I was brought back to reality. Makoto, Rei, Nagisa, and I were all sitting in the library, textbooks open in front of us and papers spread out all over the table. They were all staring at me, Nagisa hunched over his book with a pout, obviously frustrated with our assignment.

“Look, Haru-chan,” he said, leaning his head into his palm. “I really want to get this done, but it’s kind of hard when you’re daydreaming about banging Rin-chan instead of focusing and helping us out.”

“Nagisa-kun!” Rei scolded, color rising to his cheeks. I wasn’t sure why he was blushing, but I knew that my own face was probably mirroring his. It was a false accusation, of course, but it exposed my mind to possibilities I had never thought of before, being so absorbed into literature as I was.

“I wasn’t thinking of that..” I muttered.

Nagisa rolled his eyes. “Oh come on,don’t think I didn’t see that whole hand-on-the-knee action last week. And you were practically eye-fucking him when he wasn’t looking.”

“Nagisa-kun, that’s enough!” Rei put his hand over his boyfriend’s mouth, now completely crimson. He pushed his glasses up his nose, shooting me an apologetic look. “I apologize for Nagisa-kun’s choice of words, Senpai. I think it’s great that you have feelings for Rin-san. It’s beautiful!”

Makoto was giving me a knowing smile, and I looked between the three of them,

“I never said I had feelings-”

“Don’t even try, Haru-chan!” Nagisa cut me off, pulling Rei’s hand away from his mouth. “You haven’t taken the sweater he bought you off, either.” I sighed in defeat, knowing that I wouldn’t get anywhere trying to deny it.

It’s not like it was completely false, either.

“Let’s just finish the assignment,” I said, making it clear that the topic was no longer up for discussion.

Makoto chuckled beside me but kept quiet, flipping a page of his textbook.

“Alright, let’s get back to work,” he said. “I know Haru has somewhere to be soon.”

They all grinned, and I sighed once again.

It was going to be a long study session.

* * *

 

It was past 11 when the four of us disbanded from the library, Makoto going to his next class while Nagisa dragged Rei away to get something to eat. Alone now, I first headed up to my dorm to drop a few books off, lessening the weight I would have to carry. With that done, I once again headed out, this time to a destination that had become a part of my routine.

The Sharkbait cafe had been turning out to be quite the interesting place. Apart from Rin, who was perhaps the most interesting and _different_ person I had ever met, the cafe had a variety of different things that held my attention. Rude customers were common, and it was always amusing to see Rin having to deal with them while putting on a smile. Watching him hold back his anger always made me silently laugh. The interactions between the staff was nice to watch as well; it was like they were a family that teased each other, but were always there when someone needed help.

Of course, I could do without Yamazaki’s constant glares, but I was getting even better at convincing myself that he didn’t exist.

I was halfway to the cafe when I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. Rin would be working, so I assumed it was either Nagisa or Rei calling to tell me something they forgot. As I walked, I pulled my phone out of my pocket, glancing at the caller ID.

**_Incoming Call: Mom_ **

I stopped in my tracks, feeling like an extra twenty pounds had been added to my shoulders, I sighed, swiping my thumb across the screen and continuing on my way, though at a slower pace.

“Hello, mother,” I answered, doing my best to seem happy.

“Haruka, how are you?” My mother’s voice came from the other end. She sounded happy and carefree, like she hadn’t left her only son to live by himself since he was fifteen.

“I’m fine, mother. How are you and father?” I asked as I walked.

“We’re well; busy as always! You know how Tokyo can be.”

No, I don’t, because you never bothered to ask me to visit when you and Dad got new jobs there.

“Yes, I know.”

“Anyway, Haruka, how are your studies going? Is it difficult living in the dorms?”

“No, it’s fine. Makoto’s a good roommate. My studies are going just fine; the professors are always looking forward to any new pieces I write.”

“Good, I’m proud of you, Haruka. Have you met any nice girls?”

I silently sighed. There was that question again. It was the same, every single month. Mom would call to check up on me, claiming how much she “missed me”. She’d ask how I was, how my studies were going, and if I’d managed to get a girlfriend. She wasn’t really concerned about me, that much I knew. She just wanted to make sure I was being good and not causing trouble, so she could brag to everyone in Tokyo about how good of a son she had. It’s not like she and Father ever spent much time with me, anyway. They were never around, and the only times I saw their faces were on Christmas and my birthday.

I stopped walking, leaning against the wall of a building, closing my eyes.

“I haven’t really had time for those things,” I said. “I want to focus on Universtiy for now.”

“That’s smart, but don’t wait too long. All the good girls will be taken if you don’t hurry up.”

I couldn’t even imagine her reaction if I told her that maybe it wasn’t a girl that had caught my eye.

“Yes, mother,” I answered, like I always did. There was no point saying anything else.

“Good. Now I have to get back to work. I’ll talk to you soon, Haruka.”

“Bye.”

With that, the call ended, and I let out a long breath. The call only lasted about five minutes, just long enough for her to get the information she wanted. I didn’t really care, though, because now I was free from having to talk to her for another month.

Most people would think that my way of thinking was cruel, and that a son shouldn’t think that way about their parents. But mine had been around me so little that I really didn’t care anymore. They had never been real parents to me, so I didn’t think it was necessary to associate with them any more than I had to.

With the phone call out of the way, I once again went on my way to my little safe haven just a few blocks away. I was looking forward to it more than usual. After talking with my mom, I wanted someone else to hold my attention, to talk without asking demanding questions about my life just so they could be sure I was living up to their expectations.

I had the perfect person in mind. But it turned out that I wouldn’t be seeing him like I thought I would.

I knew something was off the moment I stepped into the cafe. Rin wasn’t behind the counter as usual. In his place, it was the silver-haired Nitori, standing beside Yamazaki as he served a customer. I frowned, looking around in hopes of seeing Rin, but he was nowhere in sight. Maybe he was on a bathroom break.

I walked up the counter, immediately receiving a sour look from Yamazaki. Nitori smiled brightly, and so I directed my attention to him.

“Good morning, Haruka-san!” Nitori greeted.

“Morning,” I responded, hesitating for just a fraction of a second before asking the question that was burning inside me. “Where’s Rin?”

Nitori’s smile fell and was replaced with a distressed expression. “Rin-senpai’s sick today. He came down with a really nasty cold. We all _told_ him that he shouldn’t have ran around in the rain yesterday, but he didn’t listen. And now he probably won’t come in tomorrow, either.”

Nitori looked like someone had just died, which was actually pretty amusing. I couldn’t help but smile when I thought of Rin acting like a child and playing in the rain, ignoring common sense. My smile didn’t go unnoticed, however, and I could feel Yamazaki’s glare intensify.

“Ai, get in here!”

The older Mikoshiba’s voice coming from the kitchen made Nitori jump, and he quickly apologized.

“Sorry, Haruka-san! I’ll see you later!” And with that, he turned and headed into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Yamazaki.

“Are you going to order or just stand there?” He asked, sneering at me. I kept my expression blank, having learned that it just made him angrier when I showed no outward emotion to his taunting.

“No, actually, I don’t want you poisoning my drink. Besides,” I added in a softer tone, “it wouldn’t be the same as Rin’s anyway.”

His teal eyes immediately lit up with anger and another emotion I saw there often - jealousy.

“Look, Nanase,” he growled, straightening up to his full height, which was admittedly a few centimeters taller than me. “Don’t get in Rin’s way.”

I raised an eyebrow, wordlessly urging him on to explain.

“Rin’s at that point in time where he’s trying to figure out what he wants in life. He doesn’t need you or anyone else to distract him from his future. Stay out of his way.”

I scoffed at that. “You’re not fooling anyone, Yamazaki. Well, maybe Rin, but he’s completely oblivious. I, on the other hand, am not.”

He narrowed his eyes, and I continued. “I know why you’re so hostile to me, but I can’t really do anything about it. Your feelings for Rin aren’t my problem, and I honestly don’t care about them. Instead of talking to me, talk to Rin instead. My presence won’t be a problem if he accepts you, right? Now, I’ve had enough of you for one day; I’m going to my table to write.”

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving Yamazaki stunned and speechless. Really, I didn’t think I could ever be friends with him, not if he continued to act that way toward me. What did he think it would accomplish, anyway? It definitely wouldn’t make Rin return his feelings, not that Rin even knew, anyway. He was beyond oblivious to the way Yamazaki looked at him.

The way Rin himself was starting to look at me.

Like I said before, unlike Rin, I was aware of my surroundings. I could see the emotions in his eyes whenever he looked at me, could see the way they intensified with every passing day.

I couldn't say I was too opposed to them.

He was unlike anything I'd ever encountered before. Something about had a certain appeal that drew me in, and I found myself coming to the cafe more to see him than to actually work. It was strange, to say the least.

I did learn, however, that reading about romance was very different than actually experiencing the whirlwind of emotions that came along with it. The constant desire to be near him and hear his voice was starting to eat away at me, and it was something I wasn't sure I knew how to deal with yet. I'd never had feelings like these towards someone before, being as caught up in literature as I was, so this was all new to me.

I was sure of one thing, though: If Rin did feel something for me, as I suspected, I certainly would not be the one to make the first move.

For now, I decided, I'd just wait and see where observing quietly would take me. It wasn't in my nature to be very forward, anyway. So I'd sit back and let the storm inside my heart continue to rage on, and see if Rin would do anything.

Of course, that didn't mean I couldn't hint at my own feelings. I'm sure some of my responses during our shopping trip the other day could be counted as flirting. Not like I was an expert at it or anything. I'm sure I was the worst when it came to romance.

It was funny, really, how just a few weeks ago my biggest concern was my poetry, and now my mind was filled with Rin and the thought of a possible romance. The heart is a strange thing.

With these thoughts circling in my mind, I opened my notebook to begin writing. I had no idea what the subject would be, but I knew I needed to write some poetry. It always soothed me when I had too many things on my mind, so I hoped it could help me calm the emotions rampaging inside of me now.

I tapped the tip of my pencil on the paper, casting around for a topic to write about. It was sunny outside, with barely a cloud in the sky after yesterday's rain, but I felt like writing about the weather was not what I wanted to do at the moment. There was no inspiration to be found in the people around me, either. The cafe was mostly empty, the only other patrons being being an elderly man and another student typing away furiously on her laptop.

I sighed, closing my notebook and putting my pencil down.

I couldn't concentrate, not with how empty the cafe felt. There was no red-haired barista behind the counter, only a moody Yamazaki who seemed to be deep in thought. There were no furtive glances thrown my way, no shark-toothed grins or loud laughter that shook me to my core.

It was beginning to make me uncomfortable, his lack of presence now after seeing him almost every day for the past few weeks.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, setting it on the table before me. I stared at it, debating on whether to call or not. There wasn't really a point to calling, other than hearing his voice and filling the emptiness that seemed to loom over the cafe.

I figured that was a good enough reason, and hit the call button.

The phone rang four times, each time convincing me further to just hang up, before there was a click and raspy voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Rin..." I breathed, letting out the breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"Haru?" Rin asked, his voice cracking horribly before I heard coughing overtake him. "What's up?" He added, once he had gotten a hold of himself.

I frowned, my brows furrowing. He sounded horrible.

"I came to the cafe, and Nitori told me you were sick," I said.

He gave a broken chuckle, before succumbing to another coughing fit. "Yeah, had some fun in the rain yesterday."

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn't see it. "You're a child."

"I know, and I always will be." I could practically hear the grin in his voice.

"... Are you okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned. "You sound terrible."

"I'm alright," he said, his voice cracking again. "Gou's come by to make me soup and basically lecture me for "being an idiot", or so she says. I might have to take tomorrow off, though."

"Then I'm not coming in tomorrow," I said, completely serious.

He laughed softly, his voice teasing when he spoke. "What, don't want to go if you can't see my face?" I could have laughed; if only he knew that that was exactly the reason why. "How're you liking the coffee made by someone who isn't me?"

I paused for a moment, thinking of what to say, if I should tell the truth or not. "... I didn't order any coffee," I mumbled at last, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks.

There was silence for a moment. "Y-yeah?" Rin said, suddenly sounding nervous. "I bet you just didn't want Sosuke serving you, huh?"

I smiled at the way he spoke quickly, as if he was trying to explain my actions as not having any deeper meaning.

"Exactly," I answered, deciding to to play along.

"I really need to get you guys to be friends."

"I don't think that's possible, Rin."

"We'll see." He coughed again, and it sounded painful. I heard him groan, followed by a rustling sound that I assumed were bedsheets. "I hate being sick. And Gou yelling at me didn't help at all."

"That's what you get for playing in the rain."

"Come on, Haru, I don't need a lecture from you, either," he whined.

"Fine," I said, voice soft. "Just get some rest, alright?"

"Will do. By the way, before I pass out from the medicine, I was meaning to ask you something. Are you free this Sunday? I was hoping you could come over, and we could start that tutoring."

I had actually forgotten about the tutoring, to be honest. It was kind of endearing, knowing that he'd been keeping it in mind for so long.

"That's fine by me. But are you sure you'll be better by then?"

"It's Thursday now, so I'm sure I'll be just fine by then. Don't worry about it; I'll be sure to see you on Saturday at the cafe, anyway. I don't want to miss work too much."

I hummed in response, holding the phone close to my ear. "Okay then, Sunday it is. Now get some rest, Rin."

"Yeah, I'll do that. And, uh, thanks for checking up on me, Haru..."

I smiled softly, curling my fingers into the sleeve of the sweater he had bought me.

"I'll see you on Saturday, Rin."

With a final goodbye, I hung up, staring at my phone after the call had ended. I was extremely aware of the steady beating of my heart, and the fact that I was still smiling. Oh, the things Rin did to me.

Pocketing my phone, I stood, packing away my notebook. There was no point in staying at the cafe; it wasn't the same without Rin, and I was starting to notice how Yamazaki would send me looks every now and then. I didn't need that while I wrote.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, leaving the cafe and walking into the slightly chilly October air. I wasn't really sure where I was going, but I knew that I didn't want to go back to campus just yet. I wanted to be alone with nothing but my notebook and thoughts, and so I let my feet carry me through the streets, searching for a peaceful place.

The place turned out to be a local park, which was thankfully deserted at this time of day. The swings were swaying gently in the breeze, the lush green grass being matted under my feet as I walked. I bypassed the benches, heading instead for a tree a little farther away. The tree cast a shadow over the grass, and it seemed like a comfortable spot to sit. I did just that, setting my bag beside me and leaning my back against the trunk of the tree.

I once again took out my notebook, enjoying the peaceful scenery as I contemplated what to write. Nature was an obvious subject, something I'd written about a million times and would never get tired of. Still, I wanted something different, something with more meaning.

I thought of writing about something more abstract, a concept instead of an object. It was more difficult, since I wouldn't have obvious descriptions that I could write about. It felt more satisfying, though, explaining something simple in a complex way that showed the unique way I myself looked at things.

I closed my eyes, my mind wandering to the countless concepts and topics that were out there, just waiting to be written on paper.

All I saw behind my eyelids was red.

My eyes snapped open, an idea forming that seemed just about perfect. I would write about something completely new, something I had never written about before. Something that was starting to become a big aspect of my life, and which seemed to be all I could think about recently.

I flipped my notebook to a new page, and let my hand fly across the paper.

In my mind, I was going through every emotion that I had been feeling recently: nervousness, joy, passion, warmth. And at the forefront of my mind was the image of his face, every single detail seared into my brain for eternity.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, pencil scratching across the page as I wrote and rewrote, trying to perfect my poem. When I finally stopped writing, my hand was sore and children had come out to the park to play, school having ended for the day. None of that mattered to me, though, because the only thing I could focus on where the stanzas in front of me.  I smiled, leaning back and taking a deep breath. I was satisfied with my work, and the thought of what it meant made my stomach twist in the most pleasant of ways.

Because it occurred to me that he was starting to affect more than just my emotions. He was working his way into the only thing in my life that brought me joy, the thing that defined who I was.

And I was surprised to find that I was completely okay with that.

_Red,_

_Like lava, molten and filled with heat,_

_Holding passion that scorches my soul._

_Leaving the icy exterior of what I was,_

_But a puddle beneath your fiery gaze._

_Red,_

_Like rubies that shine in the light,_

_Jewels that glimmer with warmth,_

_And captivate the world with their beauty._

_Red,_

_The color of passion and fire,_

_That holds my gaze and looks deep within,_

_And brings out the emotions,_

_I never knew had even existed._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was a look into Haru's mind. I've actuallly had that poem written since August, when I first got the idea for this fic. I finally got to use it xD  
> 


	9. Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first time Haru's been to Rin's apartment, and Rin's a bit nervous, to say the least. But the tutoring turns out to be fun, so he feels comfortable soon enough. But... what exactly happened to Rin's father?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating in this chapter goes up, so if anyone's uncomfortable reading smexy stuff, you'll have to skip down a ways. But I know my fellow pervs, so I doubt it'll be a problem ;)  
> Hope you guys like the chapter!

“Rin.” His usually quiet voice took on an even softer tone as he breathed my name, blue eyes glinting in the moonlight. What I saw there sent pleasant shivers down my spine, and I lowered myself so I was even closer to him. “Kiss me again…”

“Of course…” I whispered, and slowly closed the gap between us, claiming his lips as my own.

We were lying on my bed in the dark, the only source of light being the moonlight that streamed through my bedroom window. It was just enough, though, letting me make out every detail of the man lying beneath me. We kissed passionately, mouths moving together in sync and tongues clashing as they fought for dominance. He tasted sweet, like the Pumpkin Spice Latte I had gotten him addicted to so recently. It was comforting, but more than that, it was electrifying.

“Do it hard, tonight,” he panted against my lips when we broke apart for air. I could see the lust clouding his eyes as his hands roamed up and down my back. “Don’t hold back; I want you to pound me into the mattress, I want you to make me scream.”

“Haru,” I moaned his name, all the blood in my body rushing south and pooling in my groin.. His tone was absolutely sinful. “Be careful what you wish for.”

I smirked, sitting up on my knees and slowly pulling my shirt off. I saw the way Haru practically devoured me with his gaze, his hands shooting up to drag over my newly bared torso, before sliding downward and getting to work on my belt buckle.

“Someone's eager,” I chuckled, watching as he unzipped my jeans and began tugging at the fabric in a futile attempt to push it off.

“You’re going too slow,” he said in a voice that sounded suspiciously like a whine. “If you don’t hurry up, I’ll have to slam you against the bed and ride you.”

“Mm, not a bad thought.” I quickly pulled off my jeans, only leaving my boxers on as I worked on getting Haru naked as well. He got rid of his clothes in the blink of an eye, and soon we were both reduced to just our underwear.

“So, you want it rough?” I asked, teasingly nipping at his neck, placing hot kisses and soft bites to the exposed flesh. I heard his breath stutter at my actions, and I smiled against his skin, slowly moving lower.

“Nng, _yes_ ,” He breathed, his fingers coming up to tangle in my hair. I slid my tongue down his collarbones, tasting his soft skin as I made my way down to his left nipple. I lapped at it with my tongue, alternating between sucking and worrying it between my teeth. I rolled the other around in between my thumb and forefinger, relishing in the moans I received in response.

“Whatever you say,” I responded, before moving my mouth to the other nipple and giving it the same treatment. Haru moaned, his grip on my hair tightening, but I didn’t mind the slight pain. I felt good, sending a jolt of pleasure down my spine, making my boxers feel even tighter than before. “I’m going to ravage you,,” I whispered, moving my lips up to his ear. “I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to see straight.”

“Then _do_ it,” he demanded, his annoyance toned down a bit by the way he was starting to buck his hips upward.

With an amused chuckled, I slid off my boxers, letting my erection spring free, the cool air feeling amazing on the heated flesh. In one smooth motion, I stripped Haru of his underwear as well, and I marveled at the beautiful, hard cock in front of me.

“God damn, you’re beautiful,” I said as I wrapped my fingers around his length. He gasped, eyes closing for the briefest of moments before he licked his lips, pink tongue darting out in a sinful display.

“I could say the same about you.” He smiled, a lusty smile that showed his desire, but hid something softer in its depths. He reached forward and took me in his hand, slowly beginning to pump me up and down. I groaned as he dug his thumb into the slit of my cock, shuddering from the sensation. He pulled me down for another hot kiss, our hands continuing their steady pumping.

Without breaking the kiss, I reached over to my nightstand with my free hand, clumsily rummaging around in the drawer. When I found what i was looking for, I broke  off the kiss, leaning up once again. I uncapped the bottle of lube in my hand, spreading it over my fingers, guiding down to Haru’s entrance.

“Wait,” Haru said, grabbing my hand. “You don’t have to prepare me. I’m ready…”

The thought of Haru having prepared himself made my arousal throb, but I didn’t question it. Instead, I gave him a lecherous grin, using the lube on my fingers to slick myself up. I breathed out a sigh at the slight relief, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

“Then get ready to scream, Haru.” That was the only warning I gave as I plunged into him, his already loosened entrance accepting my cock eagerly.

“Ahh!” He moaned loudly, throwing his head back and fisting the bedsheets. I gave him a second to adjust before I hiked his legs over my shoulders, gripping his thighs as I fucked into him relentlessly. The hot, tight heat around me combined with Haru’s pleasure-filled moans made me wonder how long I’d last, and I vowed to make Haru see stars before I came.

I thrust into him hard, setting a brutal pace that filled the room with the sound of skin slapping against skin. Haru was panting beneath me, a light sheen of sweat visible on his slightly pink chest. His blue eyes were glazed over with pleasure and lust, and a slight shift of my hips had him squeezing them shut.

“Yes!” He moaned, voice coming out louder than I usually heard from him. “R-right there, Rin! Yes, harder!”

I obliged, moaning and slamming my hips forward. My legs were starting to shake with exertion and the onslaught of sensations, but I managed to keep thrusting hard while I kept my gaze fixed on the writhing mess that was Haru beneath me.

“Haru, Haru, Haru,” I chanted, feeling my orgasm quickly approaching. “Oh, God, Haru…”

“Just-Just like that!”

I bent down, making Haru’s legs bend further and causing my cock to delve deeper into him. I bit and kissed at his neck, leaving marks as I fucked him into oblivion.

“Shit!” I cursed, though it came out as more of a groan. “Fuck, I’m going to cum!”

Haru’s response was a loud, broken moan of my name, and I felt my pace start to falter as I began to reach climax. I wrapped my hand around Haru’s neglected cock, making him yell into my ear as I started to stroke him.

I was going to cum. I could feel it building, the heat in my stomach growing hotter and hotter until -

My eyes snapped open, a shrill beeping sound assaulting my ears. I was panting, staring up at the ceiling of my bedroom as the sound got more and more annoying by the second. Finally having enough of it, I looked over to find that it was my alarm clock, telling me that it was 11:00 and that I needed to get up.

That was definitely not happening, though, because the only thing assaulting my mind at the moment were images of Haru, wrecked beneath me and begging for more.

The thought made me notice the uncomfortable tightness in my lower regions.

I slammed my hand on my alarm clock, effectively shutting it up. I threw off my comforter, looking down to see the obvious: I was rock hard in my boxers. Which made me realize something else:

I just had a wet dream about my crush _friend_ , where I fucked him into the mattress. That was totally not appropriate.

That didn’t stop me from ripping off my night-shirt, though. It didn’t stop me from flinging off my boxers (which had a wet patch in the front where my precum had soaked through) and taking my painfully hard cock in hand.

I knew this wasn’t right. I knew that it wasn’t right to think about Haru in _that_ way, not when my only goal for now was to be friends with him and maybe slowly try to be something more in the future.

But dammit, I was nineteen and horny and I just had the most erotic fucking dream of my whole life.

I let all guilty feelings slip away for the moment, closing my eyes and bringing back the image of Haru from my dream. He looked so _perfect_ , spread out beneath me as he begged for more. I began to stroke myself, one hand wrapped tightly around my dripping cock and the other trailing up my body to play with  my nipples. I laid on my bed, completely naked as I shamelessly jerked off to the thought of how it felt to be inside Haru, even if it wasn’t real. He had moaned my name so wantonly, just the thought of it had me close to cumming.

My cock was dribbling precum by now, having already been close to orgasm when I woke up. Using the mental images from my dream as material, I pinched at my nipple and pumped myself quickly, squeezing my fist tight in an attempt to duplicate the feeling of being inside Haru.

“Oh, God.” I couldn’t hold back my moans as the pleasure spiked, and I began fucking into my fist, the action easy with how wet I was.

“Haru, fuck, _Haru_ ,” I groaned, and that was it for me.

I gasped, my whole body shuddering as I came, spilling thick white semen into my hand and all over my chest and stomach. I was panting hard, trying to catch my breath as I squeezed out the last few drops of my release, before relaxing and laying in a boneless heap on my bed. That was the most intense orgasm I’d had in a long time, and it was amazing, pleasant tingles still coursing through my body.

It began to dawn on me, though, that I would have to see the object of my fantasies later that day and act like I only saw him as a friend.

Because it was Sunday, and I had told Haru I’d tutor him.

Well, shit.

I laid there for a few minutes more, letting my breathing even out. When the sticky mess on my hand and stomach became too uncomfortable, I stood and stretched, feeling satisfied and burying the guilt in the farthest corner of my mind. I walked over to my closet, picking a casual-but-still-attractive outfit for the day, and then made my way to the bathroom for a shower.

The water washed off the cum from my hand and stomach, but the heat reminded of the burning pleasure from just a few minutes before. And that brought back images that I doubt would ever leave my mind.

Suffice it to say that my shower took longer than usual.

* * *

 

Thankfully, I had cleaned my apartment the night before, so I didn't have to worry about tidying up this morning. Plus, the fridge was stocked and I had a menu planned, so making dinner wouldn't take long. (The thought of having dinner with Haru in my apartment, just the two of us, did things to my heart).

I had some time to kill, though, because Haru wouldn't come over until 2:00. So, I took the time to text my newest friend, who seemed to want all the juicy details on how my love life was going.

**_To: Eren Jaeger_ **

_Gonna be tutoring Haru today. Maybe he'll be really grateful and kiss me._

'Course, I knew that was impossible, but it was nice to hope. Not even a minute later, my phone buzzed with a response.

**_From: Eren Jaeger_ **

_Or push u down nd hve his way wit u ;)_

I laughed at that, and also at his way of texting. I had a feeling Haru would pop a blood vessel at the way Eren texted.

**_To: Eren Jaeger_ **

_Don't I wish. Though I like to think I'll be the one pushing him down._

**_From: Eren Jaeger_ **

_Ooooh, so ur the dominant typ huh? Haru better wtch out_

We texted back and forth for about an hour, until I had to say goodbye and double check that everything was perfect. I had cleared off the coffee table, and put cushions on the ground to sit on while we studied. At first I thought about having snacks ready, but then dismissed the idea. I had a feeling Haru would hate getting crumbs on his notebooks.

At the minutes ticked down to 2, I was starting to feel more and more nervous. This would be only the second time that I would be alone with Haru, and outside of the cafe, too. My heart was pounding already, and he wasn't even here yet.

I forced myself to calm down, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. It was just a little tutoring session between two friends, that was all.

Well, a friend that I had jerked off to this morning, but that was beside the point.

While I was getting my mind out of the gutter, there was a knock on the door, making me jump. I checked my reflection in my phone one last time, and went to open the door.

When I opened the door, I was met with a sight that made me smile instantly. Hadu stood there, his messenger bag slung over his shoulder and a plastic bag clutched in his hand. He wore a light blue sleeveless sweater with a collared blue shirt underneath, making him seem sophisticated. It was a bit surprising, because I had been wondering if he would ever take the sweater I had bought him the other day. He had been wearing it everyday since he got it, which made me smile every time.

"Hey, Haru. Did you have trouble finding the place?" I asked, stepping aside to let him through.

He came in and took his shoes off, setting them to side next to mine. "No, it was fine. You live close to the cafe."

"Yep, makes it convenient." I closed the door, once again noticing the plastic bag in his hand. "Whatcha got there?" I asked, motioning to the bag.

He held it out to me, and I took it in confusion.

"Mackerel," he said. "For dinner. I'll cook it."

"Oh. I actually had a menu planned for dinner-"

He cut me off with a shake of his head. "No. We're having mackerel."

I stared at him for a moment, taking in the intensity of his gaze.

"... You must really like mackerel."

"I eat mackerel flavored ramen everyday, if I can't eat the actual fish."

Holy crap. "That's... A lot of mackerel. I'll keep that in mind. But have you ever tried meat?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Meat's not the same."

I rolled my eyes, astounded by how stubborn he was. Guess he really did have a thing for mackerel.

"Okay, how about a deal: you try some beef today and I'll have some mackerel. You can't have fish all the time."

"Of course I can. But fine. It's a deal."

"That's better. Now, go put your stuff down and I'll just stash this in the fridge for now."

I let Haru make himself at home, and went to put the fish away. As much as I loved sharks and other marine animals, I wasn't very fond of eating them. But I guess I'd have to get used to it if I planned on spending more time with Haru. Though I'd be sure to stuff some meat into him in return.

Wow, that sounded dirty.

Shaking my head, I went back to the sitting room to find Haru already occupying a cushion and pulling a book and notebook out.

"Can I get you something to drink?" I asked, pausing for his answer.

"No. I just want to get started. English is confusing and the professors have a poor way if explaining."

I took a seat beside him, crossing my legs and pulling out a hair band from my pocket. I put my hair up in a ponytail, effectively keeping most of the red locks out of my face. Haru watched me silently, then reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"I've never seen you with your hair up," he said, and I could have sworn his fingers lingered by my ear for a second too long, before he finally pulled them away.

"I don't do it often. I like keep it down," I said, doing my best to keep my voice steady. We were sitting close, our thighs almost brushing and our eyes locked on each other. After a moment of staring, I cleared my throat and looked away. "So, let's get started. You'll have to tell me exactly what you're having problems with, so we can pick a starting point."

With a nod, he opened up his notebook, which I found was full of notes. I pulled it over to me, scanning the pages one by one. The first thing I noticed was that Haru had really neat handwriting, which didn't surprise me. It did make my give me butterflies, though.

Damn, what the hell was wrong with me?

"The way your professors explain it is pretty confusing," I concluded, taking one of the pencils Haru had laid out. "For me, I mostly learned by hearing it and being forced to speak it when I spent that year in Australia. I'll do my best to explain, though."

"... Thank you, Rin."

Glancing over, I saw a small smile on Haru's lips, which I mirrored with one of my own.

"Don't mention it. It's fun hanging out with you, so I don't mind."

In my fantasies, he would have leaned over and kissed my cheek. Instead, he reached over and squeezed my wrist. "Likewise."

The small action was enough to get my spirits up, and I dove full force into doing my best to teach Haru.

Once we got started, we were so focused that we didn't let anything distract us. I had put my phone on silent so I could give Haru all of my attention. He explained what he didn't understand, which was a lot, actually. Still, I did my best to help him.

What I learned in that time was that Haru had a set amount of patience. He was quiet mostly, listening as I explained the concepts the best I could. When his patience was wearing thin and he was starting to get more frustrated, I noticed his brows furrowing and his speech starting to get more intense.

"But why must they have three different "there"s? Couldn't they use a different word instead of using the same one and just spelling it differently?" His voice kept the same volume, but his tone clearly showed his frustration.

"Apparently, English people didn't want others having such an easy time learning their language," I said, scribbling down some notes in the notebook. "And they have a word to describe words like this, too. They're called 'homophones', which are words that sound the same, but have different meanings. Sometimes they're spelled the same way, like the flower, rose, and the past tense of 'rise' rose. They can be spelled differently, too, like with the three 'there's."

I made sure to have him write all that down so he'd remember it.

"English is insane."

I had to agree on that one. I went on to explain all the other technical stuff about the language that I knew, watching him scratch it into his notebook, filling page after page. The funniest part was when he pronounced the words; his accent was terrible and he mispronounced more than he got right.

"Okay, say it again," I instructed, trying not to laugh. " _Flower_."

"F-frowa."

I couldn't hold it anymore and burst out laughing, shoulders shaking while Hadu frowned at me.

"Don't laugh," he said, crossing his arms. "I haven't spent time in an English-speaking country like you."

"S-sorry," I said, getting a hold of myself. "I wasn't mocking you or anything, really. Hey, are you pouting?"

He turned his face away, but I saw that his ears were slightly pink.

"No."

God, he was cute. I was having way too much fun with this.

"Hey, don't pout," I said soothingly, though I was grinning. "Come on, let's try again. You're doing better."

Reluctantly, he faced forward once again and attempted to pronounce the word right. Even when he got some wrong, I made sure not to laugh. As fun as it was to joke and tease him, I didn't want to actually hurt him.

We kept at it for another couple of hours, my hand cramping from writing so much and having Haru mirror it. Time flew by, but we didn't notice how late it was getting until our stomachs growled, begging for food.

"Holy shit, it's 7 already," I said, looking over to the clock. My hand hurt and my neck was sore from looking down the whole time.

"Rin," Haru said, glaring at me, thought it lacked any real heat. "Stop swearing."

"Oh, right. Sorry. Anyway, how about we get started on dinner? I think that's enough studying for one day."

He nodded, looking over his notes one more time before closing the notebook.

"I feel like I've made some progress today."

"That's good. We can set up another time to pick up where left off," I suggested, standing up. I nearly fell over; my legs had fallen asleep.

"That sounds like a good plan." Haru packed up his books, letting out a breath before standing. He set his bag aside, then followed me into the kitchen.

I opened the fridge and took out the mackerel and beef, setting them on the counter. Different vegetables and seasonings joined them, and soon Haru and I were standing side by side, knives in hand.

I chopped up the beef for the stew, while Haru skillfully cleaned the fish and got rid of the bones. By the way he did it so efficiently, I could tell that he wasn't kidding when he said he ate a lot of mackerel. We worked in comfortable silence, the whole thing having a really domestic feel to it.

I set up a pan for him, putting a pot for myself on the fire.

"How are Makoto and the others?" I asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

"Good. Nagisa really did put cockroaches in that man's car. You know, the one who insulted them in the cafe? Nagisa said he wasn't very fond of his new pets."

He said it casually, but I saw the corners of his mouth twitching up. I barked out a laugh, then bumped him with with my hip playfully.

"Should I be scared of him?" I asked in amusement. "If I piss him off, will he set bees loose in my apartment?"

"He wouldn't do that to a friend. He'd get you back another way."

"Oh, that makes me feel _so_ much better."

We talked as we cooked, the smell of beef and fish filling the air in a strange combination, but not really bad. We made up our plates, each taking some mackerel and some stew, though Haru's plate had a lot more mackerel on it.

I suggested we eat on the couch; a long session of studying needed some TV time. We sat down and I reached for the remote, flipping through the channels and setting my plate and water on the coffee table.

"Are those your parents?"

Haru's voice drew my attention away from the TV, and I found him gazing at a picture frame next to the TV. In it was an old picture, taken when I was a kid. I was grinning, my red hair slightly long even then. Next to me was a younger version of Gou, her red hair tied up in a ponytail like always, and her little arms wrapped around one of my own. Behind us were a woman with short red hair, who was smiling as she stood next to a man with dark hair and a wide grin that matches my own: my parents.

I smiled softly, setting the remote down after flipping to a random channel.

"Yeah, those are my parents. God, Gou and I were so small back then. I think I was like six when that picture was taken."

"You all look so happy," Haru said wistfully. I wondered what could have been on his mind to make him look so sad.

"Yeah," I said in almost a whisper. "Those were better times."

He finally met my gaze, a questioning look asking me the questions that he didn't voice.

I looked away, clearing my throat and picking up my plate.

"Let's eat. I'm starving."

It was clear that I was ending the conversation there, and thankfully Haru didn't push it. We ate without saying a word, though my appetite was slowly fading away. Haru's mackerel was actually good, but I wouldn't eat it everyday. Between bites, I kept glancing at the photo of the four of us smiling and happy.

It wasn't anything new; I got this feeling sometimes, but I was usually able to avoid it if I didn't think about it for too long. It wasn't Haru's fault for triggering these emotions, I was just really emotional. I hadn't talked about what happened in years, so being faced with the choice of confiding in Haru made made the pain feel fresh. I wanted to, though, because Haru was important to me. He was thoughtful enough to drop it when he saw that I wasn't comfortable, so didn't he deserve to be told? I would be sharing a part of my life with him, and even though it was still painful, it was a part of my life that would always be there.

"My dad... He died when I was nine."

I could feel Haru staring at me, but he didn't say anything, waiting patiently for me to continue. I pushed around the fish on my plate, the memories coming back instantly and hitting me full force.

"He was amazing," I said quietly. "He always bought me and Gou presents and took us to the park when he had time. He'd let us have an extra cookie after dessert when Mom wasn't looking, saying it would be our little secret. He got me obsessed with sharks, always talking and reading about them to me. I remember one time he took us to the aquarium for my birthday, and showed me all the sharks they had." I smiled at the memory, remembering how he had pointed out every single type of shark and spouted out fact after fact about them.

I paused, chewing on my lip. Haru had been quiet the whole time, not interrupting. I could feel the tears coming on, but I held them back. I didn't like how I cried all the time.

"We all went to Australia for a while. Dad got transferred for work, so we had to move. We kept our place in Japan, though, for visits and stuff. It was hard adjusting, because I barely knew any English and I was a kid. Gou had the worst time; she couldn't stand up to the kids who bullied her, and she'd come home from school everyday, crying. She was only 8 at the time."

I took a sip of my water, wetting my throat, which felt like it was being squeezed tightly.

"So we-we came back early, Mom, Gou, and I. We'd only been there for a year, but Gou hated it. I actually liked it in Australia. I was learning a new language, and the bullies didn't bother me because I could defend myself. Still, we came back for Gou's sake. Dad was supposed to come for Christmas, and we were all really excited to see him again. It was going to be a perfect family Christmas..."

There was no fighting the tears now, so I didn't attempt to wipe them away when they started to gather. Haru, who had been listening closely, reached over and took my hand. The contact startled me, but I gripped onto his warmth like it was a lifeline. He laced our fingers together, rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.

"I'm not sure what exactly happened," I continued. "I didn't ask, didn't really want to know. But... Well, he never made it home. The plane he was on... It-it crashed. We never even got the body back."

At this point, my voice cracked and I refused to go on any longer. The tears were flowing freely now, streaming down my cheeks and dripping from my chin. I felt a bit pathetic, crying in front of Haru like that. I hated how weak I was emotionally sometimes, but Haru didn't make fun of me. Instead, he used his free hand to wipe away my tears, concern and something else visible in his eyes. He pulled me to him, letting me lay my head on his shoulder.

My heart skipped a beat, the butterflies in my stomach threatening to take over every other emotion I felt.

"You're strong, Rin," he whispered in my ear, sending an involuntary shiver through me. "Your father would be proud of the man you've become."

He didn't say he was sorry, and I was grateful for that. I never liked how people apologized after hearing about a death, I didn't think it was necessary. His words meant so much more to me, even if they weren't exactly true.

"Strong?" I chuckled, though it sounded more like a sob. "I'm crying like a baby and you're calling me strong?"

I didn't move away though, tentatively moving my free arm and wrapping it around his waist, so we were in an awkward-but-comfortable hug, my head still resting on his shoulder.

"I feel that being able to lower your walls and show your emotions, to cry instead of putting up a false act, shows true strength," he said in that scholarly way of him. "You're not weak because you show sadness, Rin. Emotions are what make us human."

I closed my eyes, breathing in scent and letting his words soak in. Hadu, out of everyone else, was able to make me feel better in the blink of an eye. Not even Sosuke, who I'd known for most of my life, could do that.

I was falling hard, and it was both terrifying and exciting.

After a few more moments, I reluctantly pulled away, wiping my face to get rid of any stray tears.

"Thanks for that, Haru."

He smiled, and I couldn't help blushing when I realized we were still holding hands. I quickly pulled mine away, though I swear it was tingling from just his touch.

"Um, I think that's enough sad shit for one day. How about we play some video games?"

"As long as you stop swearing."

"Deal."

* * *

 

Playing video games with Haru was interesting, to say the least. The guy was competitive as fuck. Add that to my own refusal to lose, and you had at least one of us repeatedly asking for a rematch.

"I win again, Rin," Haru said with a smirk.

"One more time!" I demanded. We were playing Tekken, and at the moment, Haru had beaten me with 20 wins and 19 losses.

He shook his head, putting down the controller.

"I have to go back to the dorms. I have classes tomorrow and you have work."

My shoulders slumped in defeat, but he had a point. It was starting to get late, and I didn't want him walking back when most people turned in for the night.

"Oh, right. Forgot about that."

He slung his bag over his shoulder, fixing the collar of his shirt while I turned off the game and put the controllers away. I really didn't want him to go, even though I knew I'd see him tomorrow.

"Thanks for tutoring me, today," he said sincerely.

"Don't mention it. Text me sometime and we can set up another session."

He nodded, and I followed him to the door. As were passing the hall, I stopped, suddenly getting an idea.

"Wait, Haru," I said, motioning for him to follow. "Come here for a minute."

He followed in confusion, and I led him to my bedroom. I refrained from looking at my bed, knowing I'd remember what had happened that morning. Passing it by, I went over to my CD rack, letting Haru take in the room.

"Shark plushies, Rin?" He asked, cocking a brow. "Why am I not surprised?"

I blushed, stopping my search to look at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

He laughed, running a hand over one of the sharks.

"Nothing, I just think it suits you, that's all. The band posters give you a punk kind of look, but the plushies show that you're soft on the inside."

"Well... Whatever," was my amazing argument. I turned back to the rack, finding the CD case I was looking for. "Come here, I have something for you."

"Hm?" He came over, taking the case I held out for him. He looked over the cover, the. Flipped it over to try and read the back.

"It's an album from an American band," I explained. "One of my favorites, actually. All of the songs are in English, so you'll have a tough time with them. There's a lyric booklet inside, though, that you can read, though that's in English too."

"Why are you giving me this if you know I won't be able to understand it?"

"Because, that's your homework," I said, tapping the case. "Listen to the songs and study the booklet. Find words that are familiar to you and review them. You can pull up a translation online to help you with the other words. I just think mixing your studying with music will help; you can remember the words better that way."

He looked over the album once again, seemingly deep in thought.

"That's... A good idea," he concluded. "What does this say?" He pointed to the color, where the name of the album was written.

"It says 'Symphony Soldier'. It's an album by a band called 'The Cab'. I think you'll like the topics of the songs; they can be like a story to you."

"I'll have to do a lot of research, then. Thank you, Rin. I'll return it next time."

I shook my head, pressing the album to his chest.

"You can keep it. I have all the songs on my phone, anyway. Think of it as a gift for.. Uh, you know, being a good friend."

I could feel my cheeks heating up again, because damn, he was so much more than a friend to me. My bed could vouch for that.

"Alright," he said, placing the album safely into his bag. "I'll keep it safe. And maybe next time, I'll give you a gift for 'uh, you know, being a good friend'."

"You're an ass," I deadpanned, watching his eyes sparkle with amusement. "And yeah, I know, _language_. Sorry that you're an ass, mister I'm-Too-Sophisticated-To-Swear."

"Be careful with the nicknames, or I just might give you one."

A flashback of my crying like a baby on his shoulder made me shut up instantly. I did not need another nickname to refer to my tendency to cry a lot.

"Okay, okay. Don't you have to be heading back? Come on, get out." I tried looking annoyed, but my grin wasn't fooling anyone. We made our way to the front door once again, and there was feeling of longing again.

I wanted to kiss him goodbye, I wanted to say sweet words to him and tell him that I couldn't wait to see him again tomorrow. But since I was just a friend, all I could do was stand by the door, saying goodbye like any normal friend would.

"Later," I said, leaning against the doorframe, hands deep in my pockets.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Rin."

Just that acknowledgement that weren't going to be apart for long was enough to make my heart race. I rubbed my tongue piercing against the roof of my mouth to stop myself from blurting out something that I might regret.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

He turned to leave, his bag bouncing by his side as he took the stairs down one by one. I stayed standing there, staring at his back as he walked away.

Haru had said that having emotions made us human. He said that I was strong to show how I felt, instead of putting up a facade like so many other people do with feelings they don't want anyone else to know.

But would he still think that way if he knew the feelings I was hiding behind a mask of friendship?

Would he run away if I told him that I was falling in love with him?

_Yeah, the ink may stain my skin,_

_and my jeans may all be ripped._

_I'm not perfect, but I swear,_

_I'm perfect for you._

 

_And there's no guarantee,_

_That this will be easy._

_It's not a miracle you need, believe me._

_Yeah, I'm no angel, I'm just me,_

_But I will love you endlessly._

_Wings aren't what you need, you need me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoever knows The Cab will forever be my friend. I love them so much, and the album Rin lent Haru is my favorite. Also, the lyrics at the end are from one of their songs in the album called "Endlessly". If you haven't heard it, I suggest you go check it out immediately!  
> I'm super excited for the next chapter, because things start to happen! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one, though, so don't be afraid to leave a comment! I read them all and reply to as many as I can. Thank you guys so much!!


	10. Scares and Dares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween is here, and everyone dresses up for the party at Sei's house. Truth or Dare is played, Rin fights off awkward boners, and something happens between Makoto and Sei. But what's been bothering Sosuke for so long?

After the tutoring session with Haru, I would ask him everyday to speak a little bit of English with me while I was on my break. In the short time I had until I had to get back to work, I would go over a few difficult words with him and make him practice them; that way he was constantly working on something and could improve. On Monday, I had excitedly asked him if he had listened to the album, and what his thoughts were.

“You know I’m horrible at English, Rin,” he had muttered. “You’ll need to give me some time to actually absorb the songs and understand them. Ask me next week.”

I’d dropped the subject, then, focusing instead on just sitting with him while he studied some vocabulary.This went on for the whole week, and soon enough, it was Saturday and time for Sei’s Halloween Party.

The morning had been busy at the cafe; it had rained nonstop the night before, setting in a chill throughout the town that made people pop in during the morning for a hot drink. Sosuke and I served the customers in amusement, watching as a toy bat dropped down from its place above the entrance, startling whoever entered, only to retreat upwards once again when the doors closed. The set up had been Momo’s idea, though it took a lot of begging on his part for Sei to finally let him do it. He’d also pulled Ai into helping him decorate the cafe, so now the walls were covered in cutouts of ghosts and bats, the occasional black cat being spotted among them. There was a carved pumpkin sitting on the counter next to me, it’s face cut to look like it was smiling with its tongue lolling out. In honor of the American holiday that no many people cared about, the desserts had been decorated in orange frosting, and most were pumpkin flavored.

The day was a short one, Sei wanting to close up early so we all had time to get ready for the party. The shop was due to close at 3, and I impatiently tapped drummed my fingers on the counter, staring at the clock that read 2:25. Sosuke was serving a customer, glancing my way every now and then.

He’d been acting strange ever since the week before, but I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He was quiet, and he always seemed to be lost in thought whenever there was a lull in customers. His teal eyes would get unfocused, and he’d stare off into space until the jingling of the bell snapped him out of it. Not to mention he’d been staring at me a lot more.

When I asked him what was wrong, he’d brushed it off and told me it was nothing. I knew better, though, having known him since we were kids. But I stayed quiet, deciding not to push for an answer; he’d tell me eventually, I was sure of that.

“I’ll bet you that girl’s going to order from me,” Sosuke said, staring at the entrance.

I followed his gaze, spotting a girl who was wiping her boots off on the matt at the entrance. She looked up to make her way to the counter, but froze, spotting Sosuke and I looking at her. She blushed a dark shade of pink, eyes darting from me to him.

"No way," I said, quietly, as the girl timidly made her way up to the counter. "She'll come to me."

"Wanna bet on it?"

"Always. Loser has to dress as a cat for the party."

"Deal."

The girl, who was faced with two smiling baristas, was still blushing furiously. She stopped a few inches away from the counter, hesitating as I assumed she was deciding which handsome barista she should order from.

Smiling, I held my breath in anticipation; I really didn't want to wear a cat outfit today and suffer the embarrassment.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally gave a small smile and stepped up in front of me. My friendly smile turned into a full-on grin, and it took everything I had not pump my fists in the air in victory.

"Welcome to the Sharkbait Cafe," I said. "What can I get for you?"

I could see Sosuke scowling at me in my peripheral vision, but I ignored him.

"Um, just a Cafe Mocha," the girl said, fluttering her eyelashes.

As if that would get my attention. She had a better chance with Sosuke. Still, I went through the motions that were second nature to me, making her coffee. She paid as I handed it to her, and she took the cup with trembling fingers.

"Have a nice day!"

I was pretty she squeaked at that, nodding her head vigorously. She squealed out a rushed "thanks", then turned on her heel and practically fled out of the cafe.

We stood there in silence for a moment, before I slowly turned to Sosuke, evil grin on my face.

"Sooo," I said happily, "looks like you can scrap any costume ideas you had."

"You're just lucky you have piercings. That's the only thing that attracts people to you."

"Don't forget my gorgeous personality and stunning good looks!" I laughed, clapping him on the shoulder as he sighed. "But I think you'll make a great cat, so don't worry!"

"What did I get myself into?"

The rest of the shift went by smoothly, and we were all pretty excited when it came time to clean up. Momo was rambling on and on about how fun it was going to be, and no one bothered to tell him to shut up. We were all looking forward to the party; usually, it was just the five of us and Gou.

This time, though, we would have a lot more people to make the party even livelier. Not only would Haru and the others be there, but with Sei's permission, I had invited Eren and Levi. It was an American holiday, so I figured they'd want some company to hang out with. Eren had excitedly accepted, and we'd agreed that they would come to my place a little before the party started at 6, and then we'd go to the Mikoshiba's house together.

At 3:30 the Sharkbait Crew split up in front of the Cafe. Momo, Ai, and Sei went together to start setting up and get dressed, while Sei said he had to do last minute shopping, now that his original costume idea had been shot down.

Grinning, I made my way home, pulling my phone out and dialing a number.

"Onii-chan?" Gou answered.

"Hey, Gou. I'm heading home now, so come over and make sure to bring your make up."

"Okay! I'll be there soon!"

With a _click_ , she hung up, and I pocketed my phone, pulling out my keys to unlock the door. Gou and I had an agreement to always get ready together, since she was better at applying make up than me. As I stepped inside and closed the front door, I shed my jacket and hung it up, along with the rainbow beanie that I was fond of wearing these days (I had a joke going on with Haru that if anyone ever said to me that I didn't look gay, I could say, "Well shit, guess I forgot to put on my rainbow" and proceed to pull out the beanie and put it on).

I quickly hopped into the shower, washing away the scent of coffee. I blow dried my hair, relishing in the softness of it and throwing on a plain t-shirt and jeans for now. I was hungry, but I only let myself have an apple; Sei had promised pizza, and I was looking forward to that. As I was laying down my costume on my bed, there was a knock on the front door, and I went to answer it. It turned out to be Gou, who was already dressed in her costume.

She was dressed as a witch, her knee-high black boots giving out to black stockings. She wore a short black dress that came midway down her thighs, the long sleeves ending in long frills and a buckle around her middle adding to the look. Her witch hat stood proud and pointy on top of her head, and she even had a broom to finish off the look.

"Hi, Onii-chan!" Gou let herself in, putting down a bag she had been carrying and leaning her broom against a corner. She then started the tedious process of taking off her boots, setting them aside. "Hey, you haven't even changed yet!”

She gave me a stern glare, to which I sighed, leading her down the hall and to my room.

"I was showering. I'll get changed now."

She set the bag down on my dresser, pulling out boxes of makeup and brushes.

"Good. I only have a bit of makeup to do for myself, and then we can work on you. Now, hurry up and change!"

She's already started applying eyeshadow, and I gathered up my costume and went to the bathroom to change. My costume was a bit more complicated, and it took me a good ten minutes just to put it on. Once all the articles that I could put on by myself were done, I surveyed myself in the bathroom mirror.

I was dressed as a devil. I wore a skin-tight, crimson shirt, that clearly showed my muscles. Around my neck was a type of buckle, a red stone set in the middle, which held up a blood red cravat, the ruffles of the fabric casting shadows and adding darker shades. Around my shoulders was a black half-cape, the collar extending past my chin and the length of the fabric coming down to about my elbows. My pants were black leather, hugging my legs in such a way that left little to the imagination. I even had little red horns that stuck out of a headband that blended in well with my hair.

Most of my costume completed, I went back to my room to find Gou putting on the finishing touches of her make up. She saw my reflection in the mirror, and she turned around with awe clear in her eyes.

"You look amazing!" She squealed, looking over my costume.

"Thanks. You'll have to help me put on the wings before we leave, though."

She nodded in agreement as I sat down in front of my full body mirror (after surveying how I looked in those pants first) and took out my eyebrow and lip piercings. I set them to the side, turning slightly so Gou could sit in front of me, make up kit in hand.

"You don't want too much," she said, pulling out various items that I was a bit embarrassed to say I recognized. I wasn't really into makeup, but I helped and watched Gou use it for years, so I knew a lot about it. She was still better than me at applying it, though, so I gladly let her take the reigns. "Let's just make you look a little pale, maybe add a little bit of red to your lips and some eyeliner to go with the colors of your costume."

I sat silently as she worked her female magic, making my face look as pale as if I'd never seen the sun before. She used mascara to make my (surprisingly long) eyelashes stand out more and show off the color of my eyes. After adding the eyeliner and a little bit of red lip gloss, she deemed me ready to go.

I turned back to the mirror, finding that I did actually look really good.with the way my hair fell around my face, and the deep red of my eyes, it was like I was born to be a devil. I put my piercings back in, now looking like a punk devil in in tight shirt and sexy leather pants.

I had to say that I loved the look.

"Perfect," I said with a grin, giving Gou a small hug. "Thanks, Gou.”

She giggled, squeezing me back and then moving to put her make up away.

"You're welcome! Halloween is always so fun. And this year we have a lot more people coming, too!”

"Speaking of people, Eren and Levi are going to be here soon." I glanced at the clock, which read 4:45. "We'll hang out a bit here before we leave."

I stood, flexing my legs. The pants felt like they were painted on, a second layer of skin clinging to my own. Gou straightened out her dress while I grabbed the black leather wings that went with my costume, carrying them to the sitting room and laying them down on the coffee table. Gou joined me, plopping down on the couch next to me.

"This is nice," she said, resting her head on my shoulder. "I've been so busy with classes, and you've been working all the time. We never get to spend time together anymore."

"I know," I said, putting my arm around her. "That's why it's great that Sei does this every year. We get to hang out without worrying about any kind of work."

No matter what Gou was like, whether it was her obsession with muscles or her over excitement at times, she was my sister, and I loved her. I may say things that suggest that she's annoying, but she and I both know that I'm grateful to have her. Just like I'd be there for her whenever she needed me, I knew that I could always count on her to half my back.

"Hey," I said softly. She hummed to let me know that she was listening. After a moment of hesitation, I continued. "I told Haru... About Dad."

She turned her head slightly so she could look at me, eyes wide.

"Onii-chan... You've never told anyone other than Sosuke about it."

I nodded. I could understand why she was so shocked; it was no secret to anyone who knew me that I didn't like to talk about what happened all those years ago. My father had been the most important person in my life, and losing him was hard; it always would be.

"I know," I almost whispered.  "But Haru... I-I wanted to tell him."

She smiled sweetly, patting my hand.

"Well, I'm glad Haruka-senpai can make you open up. Not a lot of people can do that."

Sighing, I closed my eyes, letting my head rest against the back of the sofa.

"Haru's just a bit special. I really like him, Gou."

She giggled, grinning brightly when I opened my eyes again.

"I can see that. I'm actually really happy for you, Onii-chan. I really want things to work out for you. You're-"

There was a knock on the door at that exact moment, cutting off whatever she was going to say next. I stood in an instant, making my way over to the door and opening it.

Eren and Levi stood there, all dressed up and looking amazing. Levi was cosplaying a character from Assassin's Creed, and the hooded outfit suited him perfectly. I'm pretty sure he could be an assassin and murder whoever he felt like. Eren was a zombie, his clothes torn and looking old and worn. His make up was done so perfectly that it really looked like his flesh was rotting, even looking like it was missing in some places.

I made sure to speak in English when I expressed my awe. "Holy shit, Eren, you look _amazing_.”

Eren grinned, but Levi rolled his eyes, walking past me and into the apartment.

"Of course he does," Levi said. "I did his make up. He looks fucking fabulous."

And there was Levi's colorful mouth. Haru would be throwing a fit by the time the night was over.

"Well, come on in you guys," I invited, closing the door after Eren. "Let me introduce you guys to my sister."

Gou was sitting on the couch looking nervous, but wearing a friendly smile all the same.

"Um, hi. My name is Kou; it's nice to meet you," she said in her broken and horribly accented English. I snickered, and she shot me a glare.

"Hi Kou," Eren introduced himself. "I'm Eren, and this is my husband, Levi. I like your costume, you look really pretty.”

Gou blushed, thanking him for the compliment while Levi inspected my apartment with a scowl.  

"This place is fucking filthy," he said, sharp gray eyes looking over every surface. "Well, it'd cleaner than I would have though, but it's still a shithole of dust."

Gou looked taken aback by Levi's crude language and way of speaking, but it didn't phase me.

"Sorry it's not up to your standards," I said, not meaning it at all.

"Sorry about him," Eren said, kissing Levi's head. "He's a clean freak. You should see how he keeps our place back in the States."

"You used to be a slob too," Levi noted, though with a hint of affection. "You're lucky I didn't dump your ass."

Eren and I exchanged looks, both having thought of the same thing. We could have made a joke out of that, if Gou wasn't here.

My sister got up at that point, going to the kitchen to get drinks. Eren and Levi took a seat on the couch, while I took up the lounge chair. Gou came back with bottles of sports drinks, passing them out.

“Sorry, my brother doesn't have anything other than water and sports drinks right now."

I shrugged, because I didn't really drink much other than those two things.

The four of us talked for a while, Eren subtly asking me about Haru, even though he knew everything from my texts. When it got close to the time for the party, we all made sure we had everything, and Gou helped my put on my wings. With one last once over to see how I looked, I locked the door behind me and we made our way to Sei's place.

* * *

 

The rest of the Sharkbait Crew was already there when we arrived. Momo invited us in, looking excited in his costume, which was a cosplay of Naruto. It turned out Ai had gone along with him, dressed as a Jonin from the anime, the two making an inseparable pair. Sei greeted us cheerfully, and I couldn't help scanning over his costume--and body--just a little bit.

He was dressed as a vampire, his skin looking pale like mine. He was significantly less dressed, though, his upper body mostly bare and showing off his abs. He had fake fangs in, and his golden eyes made it seem like he was ready to bite at any minute.

Still, the best costume by far had to be Sosuke's, as clear as it was that he didn't put in much effort. He wore a black shirt and jeans, which was completely lazy if you asked me. He had his nose face-painted black, and there were streaks on his cheeks that looked like whiskers. He had a headband with black cat ears on to finish the look.

Sosuke was staring at me, cheeks a little pink which I figured were from embarrassment because I was laughing hysterically. He pulled himself together, looking away and scowling, though he was still blushing.

"Shut up, Rin," he said. I didn't.

The guys introduced themselves to Eren and Levi, and we were told that pizza was in the kitchen and to help ourselves. There was pumpkin pie, too, made specially by Sei. I had a feeling this one had more meaning to it though.

I was arguing with Momo about what music to play when the doorbell rang and Haru and the others showed up. Nagisa burst into the house, wearing the second funniest costume of the night.

He was dressed as a penguin, which suited his looks but completely clashed with the mischievous personality I was beginning to discover. Rei was Frankenstein, looking odd holding hands with a penguin as he stumbled over his horrible English to introduce himself to the husbands. Makoto and Haru drew everyone's attention, though, and Sei and I couldn't help but stare.

They were both dressed as pirates, Makoto's coat a deep emerald green with gold embroidery. His black vest was buttoned up underneath the coat, and he wore brown boots and gloves. His captain's hat matched his coat, and I had to admit he looked handsome.

"Oh _yes_ Captain," I heard Sei mutter next to me. I was too busy staring at the beauty that was Haruka Nanase to say anything.

Haru's boots were a deep midnight blue that gave way to brown form-fitting pants. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, the neckline hanging low to expose gorgeous collarbones. Over the shirt, he had on what looked like a deep blue vest, and around his waist was a kind of blue cloth that was frayed at the ends, hanging low at one side. In his hair was a blue and gold hair piece, and he wore gold bangle around his left wrist.

"Holy shit," I couldn't help whispering, before I remembered not to stare for too long. Averting my eyes (thought I noticed that Sei was still staring at Makoto shamelessly), I let the others chat with Eren and Levi. I went to the kitchen instead, grabbing a slice of pizza and focusing on the cheesy goodness to will down the heat that was rising inside me.

It was going to be a long night, no matter how fun.

* * *

 

An hour later, the party was in full swing. I had managed to put on the music of my choice, which was playing softly in the background. Everybody was either talking or playing video games, the competitive insults growing louder and louder by the minute.

We were playing Super Smash Bros, and I starting to find out that Nagisa was a demon when it came to video games, and that Haru refused to lose no matter what. Sosuke seemed to be going after Haru's character more than anyone, and I was just doing my best to annihilate everyone as Link. Sei was doing a commentary while Levi sat between Eren's legs and told whoever made a stupid move just how idiotic they were.

"Nagisa, stop doing the same move over and over!" I snapped, getting electrocuted once again by Pikachu. Nagisa just giggled, and I did my best to blow him off the screen. Haru and Sosuke were locked in a heated duel, not paying us any attention.

Soon enough, Nagisa had knocked me out of the match, which I grumbled about for a while, watching as the other three battled. Next went Sosuke, and then finally Hadu, leaving the penguin as victor.

"You guys really need to practice more!" Nagisa said cheerfully.

"Maybe you just need to stop cheating," I muttered, but he ignored me. He seemed to come up with a great idea, because his eyes widened and he bounced in place with excitement.

"Oooh, I have an idea!" He exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention. He had an evil glint in his eye, though his expression stayed innocent. "Let's play truth or dare!"

"Why do I feel like playing truth or dare with you is a bad idea?" Sosuke asked, putting down his controller.

Nagisa gave him the peace sign, looking expectantly from one person to the next.

Sei shrugged, coming around to sit on the ground next to Makoto. "I don't have a problem with it."

The majority agreed, though some of us were wary of what we were getting ourselves into. I heard Levi mutter "fucking children" as we all sat in a circle, Sosuke to my left and Ai to my right.

"Since it was Nagisa's idea, he should go first," Makoto suggested, looking at the blond. "So, truth or dare?"

"Dare!" Nagisa said without hesitation.

Makoto thought for a second, then seemed to come up with something.

"I dare you not to touch Rei at all for the rest of the night."

Nagisa pouted, and Makoto actually looked a little guilty for a second. He was such a softie. The blond extracted his hand from where it was clasped with Rei's, crossing his arms.

"Fine. I can do that. Now, my turn!" He kept his gaze focused on Makoto, who visibly gulped, obviously nervous. "Truth or dare?"

Makoto hesitated, then said in a slightly timid voice, "Dare."

"I dare you, Mako-chan..." He paused for dramatic effect, and I saw his gaze flicked to Sei, who was sitting next to Makoto. "To play Seven Minutes in Heaven with Sei-chan!"

Makoto let out what sounded like a squeak, his entire face flushing a deep shade of red. Sei looked stunned for a second, then turned his gaze to the man beside him and smiled a flirty smile, which only seemed to fluster Makoto further.

"What do you say?" Sei asked. "It's a dare, so you have to do it."

Hesitating for just a moment, Makoto nodded, standing up slowly.

"Use the closet in the hall!" Momo said.

Sei led Makoto to the closet Momo mentioned, which was visible from where were sitting. He opened the door, ushering the other inside before slipping in himself. The door closed, and then there was silence.

No one said a word, as we were all trying in vain to hear what was going on in the closet. Ai had pulled his phone out to keep track of the time, and we sat there for a solid 5 minutes in dead silence.

Then, we heard a _thud_ , and we all shared looks before staring at the closer doors again. The time was ticking down, and when the full seven minutes had passed, Ai put away his phone. A second later, the door opened once again, and out came Sei and Makoto.

Sei's hair was a mess, looking like he--or someone else--had run his hands through it multiple times. He was breathing a little heavily, and the grin on his fade it seem like he had won the lottery.

Makoto was holding his pirate hat in his hands, his costume seeming a bit disheveled. His cheeks were pink and his lips were wet and swollen. I'm sure we all knew what had happened in that closet.

"Finally!" Nagisa said as the two sat down again. "If I knew it only took a dare to get you guys to make out, I would have done it way sooner!"

Makoto buried his face in his hands, and Haru leaned over to whisper something in his ear. That earned a smile from the Captain, and I could only guess what Haru had said.

The game was mostly tame after that. Rei was dared to drink some weird mixture of things that should never go together, Sosuke had to prank call one of his professors, and Momo demanded a kiss on the cheek from Gou (I almost strangled the little shit).

Of course, things got infinitely harder when it was Sei's turn to pick his prey.

"So, Nanase," he began, olden eyes locked on blue. "Truth or dare?"

Haru seemed to ponder that for a moment, and I was sure he would pick truth.

"Dare." Well, that proved me wrong.

"Then I dare you to sit in Rin's lap for the rest of the game."

I knew I was blushing, but I couldn't control myself. Haru looked at me, then got up and slowly took the few steps it took to reach me. I swallowed, straightening up and moving my hands from my lap. My heart was hammering like crazy, and I was only vaguely aware of the glare Sosuke was sending our way. Haru smiled softly, before turning around and gently sitting down in my lap. He wasn't very heavy, I noticed, before I was assaulted by the scent of the ocean. It must have been some kind of body soap or shampoo he used, because he smelled really good, and it took all my willpower not to bury my face in the crook of his neck and inhale that scent.

This was the closest I had ever been to Haru, other than that time when we were piled up on each other in a bus. This was infinitely better, but also a million times worse because my body was craving the heat he was radiating. His back brushed my chest, and his hair tickled my ear when I moved my head to the side. I kept my hands firmly by my sides, not trusting myself to refrain from grabbing his hips. Haru seemed unfazed by this arrangement, while I was fighting a boner. I couldn't tell if I was lucky right now or cursed.

Eren was smirking at me, sending me a wink that just made me blush harder. Ignoring him, I decided to savor this moment, because I didn't know when I was ever going to be so close to Haru again. A part of me wanted to drag him to the closet and do what Sei did to Makoto, though I knew I couldn't.

Nothing extreme happened from there, though I had to fight any kind of arousal that flared up every time Haru shifted in my lap. When the choice came to me, I had to pick dare to not seem like a whimp. Thankfully. Ai took pity on me and only dared me to sing "A Whole New World" from _Aladdin_ , which was kind of embarrassing, but doable. Of course, I only knew the song because Gou loved that movie when we were kids. Yeah.

The game dragged on for about an hour, and by that time I was sure I had my dick under control, and I could relax and enjoy the feel and scent of Haru. I couldn't help imagining what it would be like to hold him if we were more than friends, but I quickly shook that thought off.

We were just friends. Besides, I didn't even know if he liked guys.

When most of us became bored, the game was called off, and everyone got up to go do something else. Unfortunately, that meant Haru had to get off my lap. My legs had fallen asleep by then, and I stretched them to get some feeling back.

"You're a very comfortable chair, Rin," Haru said with amusement. "Maybe I should sit on you more often."

Oh, yes _please_.

"My legs fell asleep because of you," I retorted, face hot.

Eren was beckoning me over to him, so I cut my conversation with Haru short and went over.

"Bet you loved having him in your lap, huh?" He teased.

"You have no idea. He smelled so good." I said, watching Haru talk to Makoto and Sei (who had his arm around the brunette). "Do you know how hard it is not to get hard when someone like him is sitting in your lap?"

"I can imagine. By the way, I had no idea you were a Disney fan."

"I only knew that song because Gou made me watch the movie with her a million times when we were kids," I defended.

"Mmhm, I'm sure that's why."

I shoved him as he laughed, sticking his tongue out at me. I noticed Sosuke was staring at me, an unreadable expression on his face. My smile fell, replaced with concern because he really had been acting weird lately. I raised my eyebrows at him, asking him a silent question. He looked away, looking conflicted before making eye contact with again.

He cocked his head to the side, and I understood that he wanted me to follow him outside.

"Hey Eren, I'll talk to you later," I said, following Sosuke. I passed Haru, who looked a bit concerned, but for the moment I paid him no mind.

I stepped out into the backyard behind Sosuke. The night air was crisp and cold, but it was a nice change from the stuffy warmth that too many bodies in one place created. I closed the glass door behind me, and leaned on the wall next to him.

We stood in silence for a while, and I took the chance to study him. He seemed deep in thought, nervous as he bit his lip. I was really starting to worry about him.

"So, are you finally going to tell me what's been bothering you for the past week?"

He didn't answer, keeping his eyes fixed on the water of the pool. I frowned, not really liking how he was avoiding answering.

"Sosuke-"

"Rin." He cut me off, stepping away from the wall. He stood in front of me, his teal eyes holding emotions that made me anxious.

"Talk to me, Sosuke," I demanded, keeping my voice gentle.

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair.

"Rin... You know you're my best friend, right?"

"'Course," I answered, not really seeing where this was going.

"Nothing's going to ruin that, right?"

He seemed so scared when he said that, which was completely unlike the Sosuke I knew.

"Sosuke, nothing's going to change the fact that you're an important part of my life. Now shut up and tell me what the fuck's wrong."

He smiled then, chuckling softly. "I can't tell you if you tell me go shut up."

I groaned; he just had to be a smartass.

"Get on with it already," I ordered. "I've been really worried about you, you know. I can't help you if you don't spit it out."

His smile turned sad, and he took a step closer. Did he need a hug? Hell, I'd give him a million hugs if it meant I could make him stop looking like that.

"I don't really think you can help me with this," he said softly. "I just think it's time I told you."

"Sosuke, what the fuck-"

I froze, stopping mid sentence when he stepped even closer. We were toe to toe, his nose just inches away from mine. His teal gaze bored into me, and he placed his hands on the wall on either side of my head.

"Rin..." He whispered.

And then he kissed me

    

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me.


	11. Your Friendship is What Matters Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sosuke learns to use his words.  
> Haru is jealous but sympathetic.  
> Makoto and Sei need to find a room.

Being kissed by your best friend is shocking, to say the least.

I stood there, frozen, eyes wide as Sosuke pressed his lips to mine. It was gentle, but my brain had short-circuited because _what the actual hell was going on?_

I couldn't think, couldn't move, even as he slid his hands down from the wall and set them on my hips, pressing up close to me. I was stuck between his body and the wall, my arms hanging stupidly by my side. It was only when I felt his tongue swipe across my bottom lip that I was able to think clearly again.

I couldn't lean away from him, what with my head being against the wall already, so I put my hands on his chest and softly pushed. From the way he instantly broke the kiss and stepped back, I figured he was probably waiting for that. His lips were slightly red, most likely from the lipstick I’d been wearing.

When I looked into his eyes, all I saw was fear and sadness. It hit me then that he was afraid, afraid of what he had done and what it would do to our friendship.

And all I felt was guilt.

How stupid could I be? How had I never realized that Sosuke might have actually had feelings for me? I always thought he cared so much because we were childhood friends. I shrugged off the strange looks he would give me because they had been happening for _years_. And _shit_ , did that mean he'd felt like this for years, and I never noticed? The guilt of being so oblivious hit me hard, and was made worse by one simple fact: I couldn't return his feelings.

"Sosuke," I whispered, feeling like something was stabbing my heart.

He put a hand up, shaking his head before running that same hand through his hair. He took a shuddering breath, exhaling and then meeting my eyes.

"You don't have to say anything," he said, looking defeated. "I know you don't... Feel that way about me."

He said it with such a defeated expression, with so much conviction that it broke my heart. Because _fuck_ , he was right, and I had been hurting my best friend for who knows how long.

"I'm sorry, by the way," he said, cheeks pink. "For kissing you, I mean."

"Don't apologize. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. Shit, I had no idea..."

He chuckled at that, and now that I actually knew how he felt, I could see the love in his eyes plain as day.

"You are pretty oblivious, Rin. But it makes you cute, so it’s not a horrible thing.”

“I’m not cute,” I grumbled while he laughed. I felt like even more of an ass because all I could think about was what it would feel like if _Haru_ called me cute.

Sosuke buried his hands in his pockets, coming to lean on the wall next to me again. We stood in silence, and I tried to process everything I’d been hit with in the last few minutes. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but what would be the right thing to say at that moment? It must have took some guts for Sosuke to finally let me know.

“How long?” I asked, because that was one thing that was eating away at me. How long was I an oblivious idiot?

I heard him sigh, but I kept my gaze locked on the pool.

“I think it started when we were...thirteen? It was just a crush, then. It scared the crap out of me, you being a guy and all. I felt better once you came out, but I still didn’t say anything, because I didn’t know how. But I think I realized I was completely in love with you when we were fifteen.”

“Four years…”

“Yeah.”

There was another pause, and I took a deep breath to steel myself.

“Sosuke,” I said, turning to him. “I’m sorry, but I can’t…”

“I know. You like Nanase, and I won’t try to ruin that for you. I just wanted you to know how I felt, that’s all.” He was trying to hide how much it hurt, I could tell. He was doing a pretty bad job at it.

"Well, thanks for telling me. I probably would have went my whole life without noticing."

"You probably would have. But, hey," he said uncertainly, and he seemed concerned again. "This doesn't change anything, right? We're still best friends?"

I frowned, because of course the answer was obvious.

"Of course we are," I said. "Well, I mean, if you think we can. This doesn't change anything for me, but what about you? It's... cruel, isn't it? To say I just want to be friends when you obviously want more. Can you live with that, knowing that I can't... I can't return your feelings and that I like someone else?"

He gave me a sad smile, his gaze traveling over my face as if he was memorizing my features.

"Rin," he said softly. "I've suspected for a long time that you don't have feelings for me. It's going to be the same for me, only now you know and I don't have to keep it a secret anymore. If anything, it would hurt a hell of a lot worse if I couldn't even be friends with you."

"I know what's been going through your mind, and don't worry about it. You're the best friend I've ever had, Sosuke, and nothing you could do will ever change that." It was true; just because he felt something more for me didn't mean that I was going to abandon our friendship. Hell, I'd help him bury a body if he asked me to.

He looked grateful at that, and a bit relieved. I still felt bad, though, because I could only imagine the pain my rejection was putting him through.

"I really am sorry," I apologized again.

"Stop saying that. It's not your fault or anything. I'll just blame Nanase to make myself feel better."

His smile lifted some of the weight that had settled on my chest, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Don't blame Haru for your inability to use words."

He laughed, and it was nice to hear. I really couldn't stand seeing him hurting over me.

"Soo..." He started, stealing a glance. "It's not going to be awkward between us now, is it?"

"Will you stop worrying so much? It'll only be awkward if you make it."

"Good to know. Guess I didn't ruin anything after all."

I shook my head, and we went back to standing in comfortable silence. It was still so unreal, the fact that Sosuke had feelings for me. The same kind of feelings I had for Haru, only his had existed for years. But even now, I couldn't imagine myself ever being more than friends with Sosuke. He was too much like a brother to me; I just couldn't think of him in a romantic way. I wasn't even sure if it was normal to feel so sad after rejecting someone. I just wished I didn't have to hurt him.

"Listen," I said with determination, facing him with conviction. "I know this is going to sound completely cliche, but I don't give a damn. You're going to find someone who's way better than me, someone who'll return your feelings and make you happy. Just wait for it. You're a great guy, Sosuke. I know there's someone out there who's perfect for you."

He smiled, a small, heartbroken smile that made me wonder if I should have said anything at all.

"Thanks," he said. "I'll take your word for it. For now, I think I'll head back in and get some pizza."

I nodded, not sure if I had helped at all. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug, burying his face in my neck for a moment. I let him, not having the heart to push him away. I gently patted his back, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't start crying.

After a minute if standing like that, he pulled away, but not before whispering in my ear.

"I love you, Rin." His breath ghosted over my ear, and then his lips pressed to my cheek in a chaste kiss.

He turned away before I could get a look at his face, and headed back inside, leaving me alone in the backyard.

I sighed, feeling drained all of a sudden. I rubbed my tongue piercing against the roof of my mouth as a force of habit, trying not to imagine Sosuke crying inside. Sosuke didn't cry, and he wouldn't be crying just because of this... Right? God, I hoped he wasn't. Crying was my specialty, and it really didn't suit him.

I stayed outside for a long while, staring at the stars and not caring about the cold one bit. All I needed was fresh air, some space to think. Well, preferably I wanted a certain pair of arms around me to tell me that it was okay, and that I wasn't a cruel bastard for almost (or maybe actually) making my best friend cry.

But I couldn't have those arms, as much as I wanted them. What I could have was someone to talk to, and I realized just how much I needed to talk right now.

Sticking my head into the sitting room, I saw Sei with his arm around Makoto's waist, whispering softly with him. Ai, Nagisa, and Momo were chatting loudly about the ending of the Naruto manga. Gou was talking to Rei, and Sosuke and Haru were nowhere to be found.

"Gou!" I hissed, waving my arm to get her attention. She looked over, confused, and I beckoned to her to come outside. She said something to Rei, and then made her way over to me, head tilted in question.

She stepped outside with me, and I closed the door behind us. I stood in the same position I had when talking to Sosuke, and she waited a moment before breaking the silence.

"What is it, Onii-chan?"

I hesitated for a fraction of a second, before giving in a just telling her.

"Sosuke kissed me."

Instead of looking shocked, like I expected her to, her expression contorted into one of sympathy.

"Oh, Onii-chan," she said sadly. He eyes flickered over to the glass door. "Poor Sosuke."

I furrowed my brows; well that wasn't what I had been expecting at all.

"Wait... You knew? That he, you know, likes me?"

"It wasn't exactly hard to figure out, you know. You're just a bit of an idiot when it comes to other people's emotions."

"Am not," I protested.

"My point is, I've known for a long time. Pretty much everyone but you knew."

"That just makes me feel worse."

She took my hand, clutching it tightly and giving me a kind smile.

"Don't feel bad," she said. "I'm sure Sosuke doesn't blame you for not noticing. But you turned him down didn't you?"

I nodded, taking some comfort in her small hand, squeezing back gently.

"I had to," I explained. "I've never thought about him that way. And besides, I wouldn't want to lead him on when I'm - when I'm in love with Haru."

She hummed in understanding, letting me get all of these emotions off my chest.

"But I feel like crap," I continued. "He looked so sad, so _hurt_. I couldn't do anything about it. All I could do was tell him that he'd find someone better someday. Is it supposed to hurt so much when you reject someone?"

She was quiet in thought for a moment, distantly staring at the glass door and the party going on inside.

"I think," she said after a while, eyes locked on the moving figures inside. "I think it always hurts us to know we've made someone we care about sad, even if we didn't do it on purpose." She tore her eyes away from the door and looked back to me. "It's not your fault that you don't feel that way, Onii-chan. I'm sure Sosuke understands. He doesn't blame you for it, right? He's still your friend?" I nodded, and smiled. "Then don't worry. You have your friendship, and you were right. Sosuke will find someone to love him more than anything one day. Don't beat yourself up about it."

I let out a shaky breath, not realizing how much just a few simple words could make me feel better. I'd never been so grateful to have a sister before.

"Yeah, okay," I said, and then gave You a hug. "Thanks, Gou."

She hugged back happily, her arms wrapped around my neck. When she moved back, she had a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Besides," she said teasingly. "I'm pretty sure we all saw how much you liked having Haruka-senpai in your lap earlier."

I flushed in embarrassment, pushing her away.

"You know what? I take back my thanks. You're a rotten sister."

She giggled, following me as I went back inside, the cold finally starting to seep into my bones.

The room was blissfully warm, and I let Momo and the others try to fix my the angle of my wings; they'd been messed up from when I'd been pressed up against the wall earlier. While Nagisa was suggesting painting them rainbow, I noticed Sei and Makoto in a corner. They were talking quietly, pressed up way too close to be called platonic. Sei would sneak kisses from Makoto every now and then, and really got him blushing when he starting kissing his neck. I looked away at that point because I really didn't need to see my manager starting to get it on with my crush's best friend.

Even if it was kind of sexy.

But that wasn't the point.

My attention was efficiently diverted when Sosuke came out of the kitchen, followed by Haru. It was weird seeing them together and not hearing any sarcastic comments, to be honest. Of course, now I knew why Sosuke didn't like Haru, and it was disconcerting, because I really wanted them to be friends. The guy I loved and the guy who loved me, friends; that wasn't going to be easy.

When Haru caught sight of me just standing there, letting the others arrange my wings any way they wanted, he chuckled. I grinned back at him, following the movement of his tongue as he licked his lips after taking a drink of his cup. Sexy pirates should be illegal.

My attention switched to Sosuke, who was sipping his drink quietly. He seemed so alone, even with all of us here. I tried catching his eye, and when he finally looked up, he just shook his head, giving me a reassuring smile. He struck up a conversation with Rei and Gou, and I was relieved that he seemed to be acting pretty normal. Looking back at Haru, I noticed that he was staring at Sosuke too

I wondered if Haru had seen Sosuke kiss me. God, I hoped not. I really didn't want there to be any kind of misunderstanding on his part. Or if he had, I hoped he at least saw me push Sosuke away. I didn't want my chances with him ruined before they even began.

I finally got Momo and Nagisa off of me, glad to find that my wings were still in one piece, and decided to talk to Haru for a bit. After dealing with so many feelings in one night, I really needed to feel some warmth and happiness.

And Haru was the only one who could make the butterflies in my stomach go wild.

* * *

 

_Haru_

I never thought I'd ever feel that pang of jealousy that I'd read so much about in romance novels before, but seeing Yamazaki kiss Rin made that feeling a reality. It wasn't a small stab of envy, either. It was a burning fire in my very core that made me want to pull Yamazaki away from Rin that very instant, and demand he never come near Rin again.

It was a bit frightening, if I was honest.

I stayed put, forcing myself not to move from my spot by the window. I was thankful everyone else was occupied; I didn't want to be questioned for spying on the two outside. I wouldn't have bothered watching them, but the way Yamazaki had looked at Rin when he motioned to the backyard made me uneasy, and I had peeked out as soon as they were out of sight.

Now, I watched with clenched fists as Yamazaki put his hands on Rin's hips, pressing close to him and kissing him. Just when I thought my nails would break the skin of my palms, Rin pushed Yamazaki away, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

It was stupid to be jealous, I knew. I already knew Rin didn't feel that way - not after how he looked at me - but it wasn't enough to stop the feeling of possessiveness that washed over me upon seeing someone else make a move on him. And Yamazaki, no less.

I watched as the two talked, only having their facial expressions to judge their conversation by. Yamazaki's back was to me for the majority of the time, but I could see the emotions in Rin's eyes clearly. There was guilt and sadness, and I could tell this was difficult for him. He really was extremely soft on the inside, no matter how he acted.

I stayed there, not able to look away from Rin. When it seemed he said something to try to encourage Yamazaki, he was wrapped in a hug he gently returned. There was that stab of jealousy again, and I mentally berated Rin for not wrapping his arms around me earlier, just so I know how they felt. It just wasn't fair that Yamazaki got to kiss him and hug him when his feelings weren't even returned.

I quickly moved away from the window when I saw Yamazaki coming back. He slipped inside and headed straight for the kitchen, unable to mask the pain he must have felt. I waited, but it seemed like Rin was going to stay outside for a while longer, so I followed Yamazaki into the kitchen.

I found him slumped in a chair, nibbling at a slice of pizza halfheartedly. His defeated expression made me want to show him sympathy, but my irritation outweighed kindness for the moment.

"Yamazaki, when I said you should talk to Rin instead, I didn't mean you should smother him with your lips," I said, arms folded as I leaned against the countertop.

He looked up in surprise, then smirked at my obvious mood.

"Jealous, Nanase?"

I was, but I would never give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

"Hardly. I'm more sorry for Rin; it must have been horrible to kiss you."

"Whatever." His condescending tone dropped, and he sighed, sagging in his chair. "It's not like it matters anyway. It was a one time thing. I always knew not to get my hopes up."

He said it so miserably that my irritation was starting to melt away. Yes, I wasn't very happy with him for kissing Rin, but I wasn't heartless.

"He values your friendship, you know," I said quietly. "He wants you in his life, even if it's not in a romantic way."

He didn't respond, choosing to take a bit of his pizza. I was never good at cheering people up, and I was wondering why I was even trying. Yamazaki clearly didn't like me, even if his reasons were a bit stupid.

A second later, he was on his feet, towering over me and pinning me to the counter. There was fire in his eyes, completely overtaking the sadness from before. He jabbed a finger into my chest.

"Listen up, Nanase," he said forcefully. "I love Rin, but I get that he doesn't feel the same about me. Still, I don't want him getting hurt, understand? If you play with his feelings and hurt him, I can't guarantee you'll walk away without anything broken."

His outburst had startled me, and I pressed back against the counter to try and put some distance between us.

"Playing the part of the overprotective friend? I won't pretend to know much about relationships," I admitted, straightening up when he took a step back. "But I care for Rin, and I don't want him hurt. I may not be able to just come out and show him how I feel, but that doesn't mean my feelings for him are any less than yours."

"And I won't pretend to like you, Namase, but I'll give you a chance if it makes Rin happy. Don't fuck it up."

I glared at his swearing, which he ignored in favor of getting a drink. Deciding that the conversation was over, I got my own drink and followed Yamazaki out into the sitting room.

It was amusing to see the younger Mikoshiba and Nagisa fiddling with Rin's devil wings, but I was more concerned with how Rin was dealing with the new information. He seemed worried about Yamazaki, staring at him until he was acknowledged. When he finally looked at me again, I was thrilled to find that he looked well, and began to talking to me.

"How're you liking the party, Haru?" He asked, shifting in place and practically begging me for ogle his legs in those sinfully tight leather pants. Thankfully, I was able to shrug nonchalantly, not letting my gaze wander below waist level.

"I'm not too fond of parties, but it's nice. I could do without watching Makoto getting his face eaten, but I suppose it's not too bad."

He laughed, sneaking a peek at the kissing couple.

"Sei really is being bold tonight," he said, averting his eyes. "Doesn't seem like Makoto minds too much."

"I'm happy for Makoto, really. He hasn't stopped talking about Mikoshiba since they met. I'm glad things worked out for him."

"Yeah, it's good to see them both so happy." Rin looked around, and I could only guess who he was looking for. "Hey, have you seem Eren and Levi?"

"I think they went home already. They seemed to be further along than our new couple over there."

"So they ditched the party, huh? Well, I can't really blame them. Must be nice to have a husband you can go home with."

I didn't miss the longing look he gave me, but I chose not to comment on it. I was going to stick with my decision of letting him make the first move. I knew I'd probably mess it up, anyway.

Our pleasant conversation was rudely interrupted by the demand for more party games, which Rin and I were dragged into. Thankfully, it wasn’t another round of Truth or Dare; I doubted it would stay innocent with the night wearing on. I did have to commend Mikoshiba for being responsible; he seemed to have a strict no alcohol rule, given that everyone but him was underage. I could approve of him for Makoto.

When it was starting to get late, Mikoshiba offered to let us stay the night, what with it being Sunday the next day. Makoto blushed but declined, saying it would be best to go back to the dorms where we could change into our own clothes. Nagisa made a few dirty jokes, but soon we were being bid farewell. Momotarou was all over Kou, and Nagisa jumped on everyone, giving them tight hugs. I had the sudden urge to indulge in a hug with someone as well, but I stomped down that feeling, and instead just nodded at everyone, letting my gaze linger on Rin.

“Make sure Gou gets back safe, okay?” He asked me after pulling Momo away by the scruff of his neck and hugging his sister.

“Of course,” I responded, promising to look after Kou.

He grinned, suddenly moving forward to hug me. His arms were warm, and my eyes widened in surprise. I reciprocated the hug before it was too late, my hands resting on the hard muscles of his back, which were prominent through his tight black shirt. The hug lingered for a second too long, and when he pulled away, his cheeks were dusted with pink.

“Take care, Haru,” he said, his hand dragging down my arm before he pulled away for good.

“You too, Rin.”

And then the five of us were on our way, leaving them behind as we headed back to our university.

I glanced up at Makoto, who was walking beside me while Nagisa, Rei, and Kou lead the way. He seemed to be smiling more than usual, and it felt nice to see my friend so happy.

“Makoto, I’m happy for you,” I said sincerely, watching his smile grow even wider.

“Thanks, Haru. I really do like Sei, and I guess I have Nagisa to thank for how the night went.”

I didn’t bother telling him to never say that to Nagisa, otherwise the blond would never stop bragging about. I’m sure he knew.

“Things’ll work out for you too, you know,” he added. “I can tell Rin really likes you.”

I stayed silent, but knew that he could pretty much tell what I was thinking without me having to say it. That was the best thing about being childhood friends with Makoto: we were so attuned to each other’s thoughts and habits, I didn’t actually have to say anything for him to understand me.

“But you should at least give him a hint,” he went on, as if I had responded before. “Maybe he just needs a little push in the right direction. Something subtle.”

I thought it over, and decided it couldn’t hurt to give Rin that little push.

“I’ll think about it.”

And to Makoto, that was as good as a yes.

When we arrived back on campus, we made sure to drop Kou off in front of her dorm building before heading to our own. It was quite late by the time Nagisa and Rei said goodbye to us and Makoto and I finally entered our room. We changed from our pirate costumes (which Makoto had picked) and slipped into our pyjamas. It was close to eleven when we crawled into our beds, Makoto yawning as he buried himself under the blankets.

“G’night, Haru,” he mumbled sleepily.

“Hm,” was my only response as I flicked off the light. I wasn’t quite ready to sleep just yet, so I grabbed my laptop and dug under my pillow for the CD case that Rin had given me. I only kept it there for convenience, of course. I put the disk into my laptop, plugging in my earbuds and breathing out a sigh when the music started.

Rin had been right: music did help me learn. In the short span of a week, I felt like  I learned more than I learnt in months of English classes. It helped that Rin’s explanations were simple, and that I had been studying the lyrics to every song religiously every single day. Now, a week later, these songs brought on a sense of comfort, and though I didn’t understand them fully yet, the feeling they invoked was something I cherished.

I spent a few minutes just lost in the music, then opened up a document on my laptop while the melody filled my ears.

It was time to devise a plan for Rin’s little push in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaay, Haru got a HUG! Poor Sosuke, I felt kind of bad for him even though I had a love/hate thing for him in Eternal Summer. But who knows? Maybe he'll meet his Prince Charming one day.  
> I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, and as always, thanks for reading!
> 
> Hope you like the chapter!


	12. No Need to Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything will be alright.

The day after the party, Sosuke and I had planned to go to the gym to burn off all the calories from the night before. We hadn’t really hung out in a while (other than the party and work), so we’d decided that the next day we would have off, we’d spend it together.

So when I was getting ready to go to the gym with him that morning, I really hoped it wouldn’t be awkward.

I still stood by what I had told Sosuke the night before: it’ll only be awkward if you make it. I was determined to be completely normal and avoid any awkwardness, because Sosuke didn’t deserve that after being rejected. The rejection itself was still weighing heavy on my mind, but I kept repeating Gous words in my mind whenever I felt bad. She was right, after all. It wasn’t my fault, and Sosuke understood. End of story. I even thought of finally getting to hug Haru to make myself feel better.

Let’s just say that that particular memory was enough to distract me.

I wore my usual tank top and sweatpants for the gym that morning, but I made sure to throw on my jacket. It was the first of November, and it was getting so damn cold. Once I had my beanie on my head (the star printed one), I opened the door to find Sosuke, standing there with his fist raised as if he was about to knock.

I grinned, pushing past him and locking the door.

“Good timing,” I said, pocketing my keys.

“Were you going to leave without me?” He asked, raising a brow.

“More like I knew you’d be here soon, so I was going to wait outside.”

He nodded in acceptance, following me down the stairs, his gym bag by his side. As we walked, I made sure to observe him from the corner of my eye to see how he was doing. After Haru’s gang had left last night, we hadn’t stayed long. I got to talk to Sosuke for a minute, and even though he tried to hide it, I could tell he was having a tough time dealing with my answer. Now, I wanted to make sure that he was okay, so I kept a close eye on him.

We idly talked about the Halloween party, and for a while I was tense, thinking Sosuke would bring up the kiss. He didn’t say a word about it, though, so I was able to relax soon enough. From what I could tell, he was perfectly normal so far.

Reaching the gym, I took a moment for take in all of the flyers hanging on the windows. Apparently, the Girl Scouts were selling double fudge brownies, and a notice announcing that the gym’s old punching bags had been replaced was hung up next to a help wanted sign.

“Looks like there are new bags for you to beat the crap out of, Sosuke,” I remarked, holding the door open for him.

"Finally," he said, passing me by. "The old ones were way too lumpy to make any difference."

We went over to our usual spot, making sure to stretch so we wouldn't pull any muscles. I started with the treadmill first, blasting One Republic in my earbuds while jogging. I had the urge to sing along, but kept myself in check because that would be way too embarrassing.

45 minutes later, I flopped down on a mat, breathing heavily with my sweat-slicked tank top sticking to my chest. I watched Sosuke lift weights while I caught my breath, his arm muscles flexing with exertion.

When he set the weights down, he grabbed a water bottle from his bag, popping open the cap. I did the same, gulping down my water.

"Hey, hold the punching bag for me," he said after a minute, getting up and putting on some fingerless gloves.

I stood, tightening my ponytail and bracing the punching bag for his hits. The first came and jolted me, but I stood my ground as another _thud_ barely moved the bag.

"Come on, Sosuke, that was weak!" I goaded, in my own form of encouragement.

"Tch." He grunted when he punched again, this time harder. It was followed by a combo of three more hits, but I kept the bag in place.

"You hit like a kid!"

"Isn't the phrase 'you hit like a girl?"

I leaned to the side so I could see him, making eye contact.

"Hell no," I said seriously. "Girls are terrifying. Have you ever been on the receiving end of one of Gou's hits? It's not fun, trust me."

He laughed, motioning for me to get back in place. I held onto the bag tight, letting him hammer away at it. Every few hits I would taunt him, receiving even harder punches as a result. I briefly wondered if he was imagining me in the bag’s place, getting his revenge for turning him down. That was stupid, though, so I dismissed the thought and focused on saying everything that would piss him off.

“You call that a hit? Nagisa in his penguin costume could do better!”

_Thud, thud thud thud._

“You’re gonna have a hard time defending yourself if you get mugged. You’re really getting out of shape!”

Another flurry of punches,

“Even Momo could do better than that!”

Maybe that was the last straw, because the next hit had me sliding backwards with force. I glanced at him from the side, taking in his sweating, panting form.

“Damn, don’t wanna be compared to Momo, huh? Harsh.”

He rolled his eyes, adjusting his gloves. “I don’t have anything against Momo.”

“Mhm, okay. I’ll be sure to tell him how you almost slaughtered a punching bag in your hate for him.”

“Shut up, Rin/”

“I mean, yeah he’s not the brightest guy, but to hold so much anger toward him? The poor guy’ll be devastated that his Sosuke-senpai doesn’t want to see his face.”

He looked at me in exasperation, but I could see his mouth twitching with the effort to not smile.

“Fuck off, Rin.”

I stuck my tongue out at him. “Fine, bitch.”

“Jerk.”

He grinned, and I knew everything would be alright.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, guys. I just put this in there because I wanted to show that things between Rin and Sosuke will be fine, and because I want the next chapter to stand by itself. Don't worry, though. I'm working on chapter 13 as I write this, and hopefully will have it up by tomorrow or Thursday. That's why I'm uploading this a little early, just in case it takes me till Thursday to update again. I have a lot of family stuff going on at the moment and am super busy, so forgive me T-T


	13. Leave Your Grief, Find Hope in Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She squeezed my hand, only whispering one thing. "Never forget your Daddy."

_Flashback: November 23, ten years earlier._

“Gou, Rin, are you two ready?” Mom called from down the hall.

“Almost!” Gou shouted back, making a streak of blue appear on the paper. “Just one more minute!”

The two of us were sitting on the ground in my room, Gou’s fingerpainting spread out in front of us. She had barged in while I was brushing my hair, demanding that I help her finish her project before we left. Her red pigtails bounced as he jumped up and down in joy, and she laid the paper down on the ground.

“It’ll look cool if you put in a sakura tree!” I said. “And a dragon standing in front breathing fire!”

She pouted, her chubby cheeks puffing out even more.

“Onii-chan, dragons aren’t cute! I want this to be cute for Daddy.”

I looked at the painting again, wondering how it was cute to begin with. It was a picture of our house with white clouds above it, a sun with a smiley face up in the corner. In the front yard of the house were the four of us: Me, Mom, Dad, and Gou. It would have been a great painting, if You had any talent. I didn’t tell her it was bad because I knew she’d cry.

“Fine,” I relented. “Just put a heart and it’ll be done.”

“Okay!” She dipped her finger in the red paint and  drew a sloppy heart, beaming when she surveyed the finished product.

“Kids, hurry up!” Mom called again. “It’s a two hour drive, remember?”

“Come on, Gou,” I said, getting up.

“Call me Kou,” she whined, but I didn’t pay her any attention. I walked out of my room with my jacket on, Gou trailing close to my heels. Mom was by the front door, digging through her purse. Her short red hair that both Gou and I had inherited fell over her face, but she brushed it back when she noticed us.

“Gou, look at your hands,” she sighed.

“But Mommy, look what I made Daddy!” Gou showed our mother the fingerpainting, and even though it was pretty ugly, Mom smiled proudly.

“It’s beautiful, Gou. But go wash your hands now or else we won’t make it in time.”

My sister did as she was told, heading off to the kitchen to clean up. Mom looked at me, the smile she’d been wearing for the past week still stuck on her face.

“Excited, Rin?” She asked as I put my shoes on.

I grinned brightly, nodding my head.

“Yeah! I haven’t seen Dad since March!”

“I know what you mean, kiddo. I can’t wait.”

It was nice seeing Mom so happy. When we came back from Australia in March, it was just the three of us, but Mom did her best to make sure we were happy, even if she missed Dad. Now that Dad was coming back to Japan and would spend the next few weeks with us, she’d been smiling a lot more. I was excited, too. Dad had promised to take us ice skating, and Gou could hardly stop talking about it.

“Okay, I’m done!” Gou said, coming back clean. She clutched her painting in her hands, and Mom bent down to zip her jacket up.

“I think we’re all set,” Mom said, checking us over. “Put on your shoes, Gou.”

Mom was just about to open the door when the phone rang, making her sigh again.

“Really, we’ll never leave the house if we keep getting held up like this.” She trudged over to the living room to pick up the phone, and I stayed put, watching Gou struggling to put on her boots. I vaguely heard Mom answer the phone, but my focus was on my sister, who was no whining.

“Onii-chan, help me!”

“Gou, you’re not five anymore. Put them on yourself.”

“But I can’t! The tall boots are hard to put on!”

“Okay, okay, fine.” I knelt down in front of her, helping her put her foot in the boot. A loud clattering sound coming from the living room made me stop and look up, but it was dead silent afterward. I couldn’t hear mom talking anymore, and I was curious.

“Gou, stay here,” I told my sister, getting up and going to the other room. Of course, she didn’t listen to me and followed. I was really confused when I saw Mom just standing there, looking straight ahead with her arms dangling by her side. The phone was lying on the floor, which was probably what made the sound earlier.

I inched toward her, trying to get a good look at her face. I could hear whoever was still on the line, their voice coming out of the phone in question.

“Hello? Matsuoka-san? Hello?” The voice - a lady’s - was saying.

I bent down and picked up the phone, putting it to my ear.

“Who are you?” I asked.

There was a pause, then the lady answered with, “My name is Hisane. And who might you be?”

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her.

“I’m Rin,” I finally said.

“Rin. How are you, Rin?”

I was starting to get suspicious then. Even at nine years old, I knew that age wasn’t something you should give out lightly. Mom and Dad had made sure Gou and I knew that.

“Why do you wanna know?” I challenged.

I heard her sigh, before she continued in a gentle voice. “Listen, Rin. Something’s happened, okay? Can you put your mother back on the phone?”

I looked over to Mom again, and was surprised to find her sitting on the ground, hands over her mouth and staring at nothing in particular. Gou was trying to talk to her, but Mom wouldn’t answer.

“Hold on,” I told the lady - Hisane - and moved over to Mom.

“Mom?” I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. She finally looked at me, and I could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes.

I was instantly hit with anxiety and fear. Mom _never_ cried, so whatever Hisane said must've been serious.

I swallowed down the nerves that were beginning to build and held out the phone.

"Mom, the lady want's to talk to you."

Her eyes - red, like mine - flickered over to the phone, and she reached out a shaky hand to take it from me.

"Please, tell me this is a joke," she whispered into the phone, and my heart was hammering in my chest.

While she listened to whatever Hisane was saying, Gou had latched onto my arm.

"Why does Mommy look so sad?" Gou asked. I stayed silent because I had no answer for her.

Panic swelled inside me when I saw tears streaming down Mom's face. She let out a sob and I could hear her whispering, "No, no no no no no, please no..." I had no idea what was going on; all I knew was that Mom never cried, and seeing her like this was terrible.

She ended the call and bent over, putting her face in her hands. Her body was shaking with sobs, and while I hesitated out of fear, Gou moved to Mom's side and knelt down by het.

"Mommy?" She asked, clearly frightened too. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

Mom looked up at her, eyes slightly unfocused and filled with tears.

"Oh, baby," she whispered, before enveloping Gou in a bone-crushing hug. My sister looked uncomfortable, but she didn't try to move.

"Mommy?" Gou asked again, and some part of me was begging her not to say anything, even if I had no idea why. "Mommy, don't be sad. You said we needed to go, right? We gotta pick up daddy at the airport! We'll be late!"

Those words only seemed to make Mom cry harder, and at that point, I was kneeling next to her too. I put a shaky hand on her shoulder, trying to look into her eyes.

"Mom? Mom, what's wrong? What did that lady want?"

"Oh, Rin," she choked out, pulling me into a hug too. I awkwardly patted her back, my heart thumping like crazy. Mom had gone from happy to a sobbing mess with one phone call, and I was dreading what she was going to say.

When she pulled back, her eyes were puffy and still full of tears. She looked at us like we were going to disappear, keeping us close and kissing our heads as she took deep breaths to try and calm herself.

"Listen to me, kids," she said, swallowing thickly while trying to keep it together.  "We won't be going to airport. D-daddy's not coming home, okay?"

Gou pouted, crossing her arms over chest and looking like she was going to throw a tantrum.

"Why?" She asked, displeased at this new turn of events. "I wanna see Daddy! He promised he'd be here for Christmas!"

Mom stifled another sob, pulling Gou to her chest and running her fingers through Gou's hair.

"I know, sweetie," she said, "but something happened, and Daddy can't come home right now."

"But he promised!" Gou insisted, letting Mom hug her tight.

Mom's eyes were locked on mine, and my nine-year-old brain couldn't really process the emotions I saw there. All I knew was that Mom was sad, something happened to make her this way, and my gut was telling me that something was really, really wrong.

"What happened?" I asked, reaching out to take Mom's hand.

She shook her head, not wanting to tell. She squeezed my hand, only whispering one thing. "Never forget your Daddy."

At that time, I had no idea that the smile of pure happiness I saw on my mother just minutes ago would be gone for years.

* * *

_November 23, Present Day._

Waking up on the morning of November 23 with tear tracks on my cheeks was no longer a surprise. It had become normal long ago, from the moment I really understood that I would never see my father again.

I'd always been an emotional kid, crying when I was really happy or when something sad happened. Even when I tried to be strong for Gou when Mom told us what happened, I couldn't stop myself from breaking down and crying my eyes out.

As the years passed by, I was able to reign in my grief a bit more. Of course, that didn't mean that I wouldn't end up crying during the week leading up to the anniversary of his death. It was as hard as always, but sometimes I was a little ashamed at how weak I was.

This morning, the morning of his anniversary, I woke up with wet eyes and cheeks, having relived the memory of that day in my dreams. I sat in bed for a long time, trying to clear my mind and not think about anything. When that didn't work, I got up and made myself coffee, breathing in the familiar scent and letting it comfort me. The caffeine helped a little, and after a quick shower, I settled onto the couch and curled up in a blanket, trying desperately not to let my mind wander.

It was a work day, but Sei always gave me the 23rd off, knowing that I spent the day visiting my father's grave and spending time with Gou. It was a tradition, and two years ago, it became just us siblings who visited the cemetery together. Mom was busy with her job, and though she was a lot happier than she was for the first few years, this day was always hard for her. Once I moved out, Gou and I would visit Dad together, and Mom would go as soon as she got the time.

I'd texted Haru the day before, letting him know I wouldn't be at work and why. He'd expressed his concerns and told me to stay strong, and that he was always there if I needed him. That brought a smile to my face, and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart. Sosuke had told me he'd be just a phone call away, too, and that meant a lot. He'd always been there for me, and I was grateful.

But on that morning, I sat curled up on the couch alone, not wanting to move and slowly letting time drag by. I knew I'd have to pick up Gou soon, and then take the train to the cemetery that was close to Mom's house. But for the moment, I sat still and silent, pretending that someone so important to me wasn't gone, that it hadn't been over 10 years since I last saw him, and that everything was okay.

When my phone buzzed, reminding me that I had to leave to pick up Gou in ten minutes, I sighed and dragged myself off the couch. I made my way to my room, where I threw on a black t-shirt and black jeans. After that, I went to the front door and slipped on my black leather jacket, and put on my black beanie that had a single large star on the side.

My breath came out foggy when I stepped outside, the late November air biting into my flesh. We'd be getting some snow in a few days, but for now it was clear. I stuffed my hands into my pockets as I walked, taking the long way to Gou's university.

I paid no attention to anyone, keeping my head down. I had that same hollow feeling I got every year, and it was eating away at my insides. I was on the verge of tears again when I finally made to campus, spotting Gou leaning against a wall.

She was wearing all black as well, and though she kept with her preference for skirts, she now had leggings on underneath to fight the cold. I waved as I got closer, and she ran forward to greet me, arms wrapping around my middle and face buried into my shoulder. I returned the hug with full force, using her as an anchor to keep me grounded and not sobbing.

"Hi, Onii-chan."

"Hey, Gou. Are you ready to leave?"

She pulled away, the usual brightness in her ruby red eyes dimmed.

"Yeah, let's go."

We headed to train station, hands clasped tightly. The contact reminded us that even though Dad was gone, we had each other, and that would never change.

"I ran into Haruka-senpai today," Gou said after a while.

"Yeah?" I'd forgotten that they went to the same university.

"Mhm. He gave his condolences, and told me to keep an eye on you for him. He seemed worried about you."

I could feel my cheeks heating up, and I was surprised that even on a day like this, talking about Haru still made my heart skip a beat.

"Well, I did cry on his shoulder when I told him what happened to Dad. No wonder he's worried."

Gou giggled, even though it wasn't filled with her usual amount of joy. "You two are so cute."

Usually I would have told her she was wrong, but I didn't feel like it today. Haru was cute, there was no denying it. So I kept my mouth shut, and we walked the rest of the way to the train station in silence.

When we got off at our stop, we took a detour to the nearby flower shop first. We knew the flowers wouldn't last long in the cold, but we didn't want to go empty handed. Dad deserved some flowers now and then. I let Gou choose the bouquet, and I paid for them, giving the old lady behind the counter a small smile when she told us to have a nice day.

Having a nice day was pretty impossible.

Gou took my hand again as soon as we left the shop, and I let her pull me along the rest of the way to the cemetery. My emotions built with every step, and my heart was aching by the time the cemetery came into view. I told myself I wouldn't cry, though. I was sick of crying all the time, and if my little sister could be strong, then so could I.

The cemetery was deserted, Gou and I being the only ones there. I was thankful, since it gave us some privacy and peace.

We walked through the rows of graves, knowing by memory which one was Dad's. When we reached the large headstone, we came to a stop, simply standing there for a moment. Then Gou squatted down, letting go of my hand and brushing her fingertips across the name _Toraichi Matsuoka._

"Hi, Daddy," she whispered, and I was immediately hit with images of Gou as a kid, being lifted up into the air by Dad and giggling like crazy. She had never stopped calling him "Daddy," even as she grew older. She always was Daddy's Little Girl. "Onii-chan and I brought you flowers."

I took that as my cue to squat down too, placing the bouquet on his grave.

"Hey, Dad," I said, swallowing around the tightness in my throat. "Sorry, Mom was busy and couldn't come. She'll stop by later, so you'll get to see her too."

"Daddy, Onii-chan got a new piercing!" She told the headstone. "It's on his tongue, and you can't see it unless he sticks his tongue out."

"Yeah. I really hope you approve of my tattoo and piercings, Dad. I'm still nice; those stereotypes about people like me being punks aren't all true."

We spent a long time talking, telling Dad about everything that happened in the last year, the people we met and the friends we made. At some point our thighs were starting to cramp, so we just sat down on the grass, shoulder to shoulder. I'd occasionally interrupt Gou to add a detail to something she was saying, and she'd do the same to me. The words came easily, naturally, like Dad was sitting right there and listening to every word. And who knows? Maybe he was.

"I miss him," Gou sighed after a moment of silence.

I draped an arm around her shoulders, leaning my head against hers while still staring that the headstone.

"Yeah, me too. Things would have been so much different if he never got on that plane."

I heard her sniffling beside me, and I knew she was crying. I just held her tighter, letting her have this moment to mourn. I was trying to keep my sobs in, desperately wanting to leave without crying for once.

We sat there for a good hour, and then Gou pulled out her phone to check the time.

"We should go, I have a class soon," she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

I slowly stood up, pulling her to her feet.

"Hey, you go on ahead," I said. "I'll catch up in a minute."

Gou didn't question me, only nodded and walked off after one last "I love you, Daddy."

When she was a good distance away, I turned back to the grave and spoke quietly.

"Don't worry about Gou, Dad. I'm looking after her. And I check up on Mom every week, so don't be worried about her. It's hard without you here, but I'm doing my best to look after those two." The lump in my throat was getting worse, and I knew there was no fighting it. "I don't know what I'm going to do with my life yet, but I'm trying to figure it out. No matter what, I'll look after my family. You can count on that."

I was crying openly now, and I couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. Ten years, and I was still a sobbing mess on this day. It's like I hadn't grown any stronger at all.

 _"I feel that being able to lower your walls and show your emotions, to cry instead of putting up a false act, shows true strength."_ The words spoken a month ago came back to me, blue blinding my vision for a moment. _"You're not weak because you show sadness, Rin. Emotions are what make us human."_

I thought over those words once again, not bothering to wipe my face. Maybe Haru was right. Maybe I wasn't so weak after all. Maybe I could believe in those words and just be myself, not caring if I was crying or not.

"And you know what, Dad?" I whispered, a watery smile overtaking my lips. "I'm in love, and it's the best feeling in the world."

It was the first time I said it out loud, and it made everything feel more real. And Dad was the first person I told, so that made it even better. He deserved to know.

I knew I couldn't keep Gou waiting forever, so I straightened up, giving Dad's headstone a bump with my fist. Then I left, jogging up to where Gou was. I escorted her back to campus, letting her lean her head on my shoulder when we were on the train. People gave us odd looks, probably wondering if we were a couple, but then seeing the family resemblance. Whenever a guy stared at Gou for a second too long, I’d glare at them, making them quickly find a seat and not look back. Like hell I was letting some creep touch my sister.

I stopped in front of the campus gates, giving Gou one last hug.

"See you later, Onii-chan!" She waved as she walked away, probably going to her dorm room first. I watched her for a few minutes, before turning around and heading home. I didn't really feel like doing much today, and a day curled up on the couch playing a Tales of or Persona game sounded great.

I made sure to text Sosuke, telling him I was okay and that I was going home. He offered to drop by later with pizza, and I grinned, telling him that sounded great.

A lazy day with pizza and video games was just what I needed.

What I wasn't expecting was to find someone sitting in front of my apartment door, knees drawn up to his chest and head resting on his arms. His messenger bag rested on the ground by his side, the little dolphin toy staring back at me.

"Haru?" I asked in disbelief.

He raised his head, blinking rapidly for a second.

"Rin. You're back."

"Haru, what're you doing here?" I asked, moving closer and trying to see if he was hurt. "Are you okay?"

His lips curved upwards in a soft smile, and he slowly rose to his feet, eyes locked on mine.

"I was waiting for you," he said, like it was the most obvious and natural thing in the world.

I couldn't help inhaling sharply, hoping that Haru thought nothing of it. My heart was beating like crazy, and the adoration I held for the man in front of me wiped every other emotion.

"Then come on in," I said as normally as I could. "You must be freezing."

I quickly unlocked the door, ushering him inside. I hung up my jacket and beanie, following Haru into the living room. He made himself at home, looking comfortable despite only having been to my apartment like twice.

"So why were you waiting for me?" I asked, once I'd made us both some coffee and sat down next to him.

He paused for a moment, taking a tentative sip of the steaming liquid.

"I was worried about you."

That was his only explanation, but it was enough to make me smile.

"Well, thanks for that. It means a lot."

He hummed in response, fingers wrapped tightly around his mug. I noticed he was wearing the sweater I had gotten him, the one that had quickly become his favorite.

We finished our drinks without a word, comfortable in each other's presence and letting the liquid warm us up from inside. It felt so nice, so _right_ to be sitting like this with him, and I nearly blurted out everything I felt.

Thankfully, he spoke and stopped me from making an idiot out of myself.

"Are you okay, Rin?" Haru asked softly, his eyes searching for any trace of grief on my expression.

I thought about that for a second. Was I okay? Just a few hours ago I woke up crying, wanting to be alone and reliving the horrible memory of ten years ago. But now when I looked at Haru, who looked so genuinely concerned for my well-being, I felt different. I felt okay, I felt content and warm and happy just having him sitting there. He was the small comfort I never had before.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I replied honestly. The worry melted from his features, replaced by a hint of a smile. "I wasn't for a while, though. I cried a lot today, and I felt like a wreck. Even Gou cried less than me... But I'm okay now. Thanks for coming over."

He reached over and brushed away a strand of hair from my eyes, something that had become kind of a habit of his.

"You're welcome, Rin. I told you I'd be here if you needed me."

Throwing caution to the wind, I let myself lean forward and embrace him in a tight hug. I took it a step further by nuzzling into his neck, breathing in the scent of ocean breeze that seemed to always stick to him.

"You're perfect," I whispered. "Thank you so much.."

I felt his hand gently sliding up and down my back, and I felt like I could die happy that very moment. When I finally pulled back, we were almost nose to nose, barely more than inch between us and all I could see was deep blue. I had the urge, the strongest desire ever to kiss him, to taste his lips and claim them for myself. I wasn't thinking straight, I knew, but at that very moment I was willing to risk everything just to feel him against me.

And I probably would have, too, if there wasn't a knock at the door.

I snapped out of my trance as Sosuke's voice called out, "Rin! Open up, I brought pizza!"

Finally realizing how close we were, and just what I had been about to do, I flushed and scrambled back, nearly tripping over my own feet as I stood.

"U-uh, I'll be right back," I stammered a bit breathlessly, quickly turning away with burning cheeks. I went to the front door and opened it, finding Sosuke standing there with a pizza box in hand.

"Sosuke, what the hell are you doing here?" I asked, trying not to sound too irritated, even if he had ruined the moment. "Shouldn't you still be at work?"

"Sei gave me a longer break so I could check in with you," he explained, then took a closer look at me, brows furrowing in concern. "Rin, are you okay? Your face is all red."

His observation only made me blush harder. "I-I'm fine," I stuttered, throwing a glance over my shoulder. "It's just that, uh, Haru's here right now."

Sosuke's expression instantly morphed into one of understanding, and I saw the underlying pain, too.

"Nanase, gross," he commented. "Well, I can't stay long anyway. You can tell Namase to pay me back for his half of the pizza later."

He shoved the box into my hands, obviously jealous but still being considerate. God , I really had the best friend in the world.

"Don't be an ass, Sosuke," but I made sure my smile conveyed how grateful I was.

He rolled his eyes, but looked at me fondly. "If he can make you feel better, then that's all that matters. Doesn't mean I have to like him, though."

I bumped fists with him, thanking him for the pizza.

"No problem," he said. "I have to get back to work, so I'll see you later."

Once he was on his way down the stairs, I slipped back inside. I found Haru sitting in his spot on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. He looked up when I walked in, and I set the box down on the coffee table.

"We've got pizza!" I announced, keeping my gaze away from his lips. "I'll get us some drinks and we can dig in."

I got plates and water from kitchen (because water was basically all I had. Gotta keep healthy.) and then joined Haru on the couch. The pizza was half pepperoni and half pepperoni and beef, and I knew that Hadu would complain about there being no mackerel. Surprisingly, the only thing he said was, “Let’s hope Yamazaki didn’t poison it.”

It was hard not be awkward because _holy shit_  I almost kissed Haru and I could've been rejected but he also could have kissed me back, and now I'd never know because the confidence was gone.

"Video games?" I asked as a way to cut through the tension (that only I was feeling, apparently). With Haru's nod for confirmation, I turned on my Wii and popped in a game, chewing on a bite of pizza as I did so.

I handed him a controller, trying to seem inconspicuous as I let our shoulders brush together. As we ate, we became absorbed in Mario Kart, and in no time at all, any lingering nerves and tension drained out of me.

I even forgot that I'd been crying today.

* * *

It was when the pizza box was mostly empty and we'd finally lost count of who had more wins that Haru spoke up, surprising me.

"I don't have the best relationship with my parents," he said, and I stared at him, taking in the new info. "Well, to outsiders, it might seem like a very good relationship: the successful parents and the obedient son."

I didn't know what to say; it all came out of nowhere. Haru seemed to sense my loss for words, and he smiled.

"I'm telling you this because you told me about your family," he explained. "It's only fair... And I feel I can trust you."

"O-of course," I responded, giving him my full attention. "So what are your parents like?"

He sighed, curling up on the couch and bringing his knees up to his chest.

"They're... Strict," he said thoughtfully. "And they expect a lot. They have a business in Tokyo, so they're never around. I only ever see them on holidays."

"Really? And how long's that been going on?"

"Years. I spent most of my childhood with my grandmother in her home. And then when she passed away when I was in high school, I spent most of my time alone."

I took a good long look at him. Was this why he was so quiet all the time? Because he spent most of his time by himself.

"I had Makoto, of course, but I've never really known what it's like to have loving parents."

My heart ached for him. Yeah, I lost my Dad, but I still had a mother who loved me to pieces.

"Mother calls once a week to check up on me," he continued, staring at a random spot on the floor. He seemed to be in a trance, just talking and trusting that I'm listening. "It's always the same questions: how are my studies, are my grades good, have I found a nice girl to be with yet. It gets old."

I swallowed, suddenly nervous. Of course his parents would expect him to be with a girl. Come to think of it, I had no idea what his sexuality was. I was suddenly really glad I hadn't kissed him.

"Oh yeah?" I said, hoping I sounded normal. "Have you found a girl yet?"

He looked me right in the eyes, seeming a bit annoyed.

"I've never really thought of romance outside novels," he said. "That's starting to change, however. I do find it a bit annoying that they insist on finding a respectable girl."

"Y-yeah?"

He laughed softly. "If you're wondering, gender doesn't matter to me. It matters to my parents, of course, but I couldn't care less what gender a person is."

A spark of hope lit in my chest, and I wondered if maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I really had kissed him.

"Would your parents be really mad if you decided to date a guy?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm sure they'd be furious. But I'm tired, Rin. I'm tired of them always leaving me alone and then trying to dictate my life. What gives them the right?"

He seemed lost as he asked that, like a part of him was broken and it was all his parents' fault. The parents who never took the time to love their son.

I moved closer to him, tentatively taking his hand and rubbing soothing circled on the back of it.

"You don't have to follow their rules all the time, you know," I said softly. "You're not a child anymore. They can't just boss you around like that."

"I know... But they're still my parents."

I was quiet for a moment, digesting this information about Haru's family life.

"I guess that's how we're different," I told him. He looked at me curiously, and I smiled. "My parents are great. Dad was awesome, and Mom's always loved me and Gou more than anything. When I came out to her when I was like 14, I was terrified. But she said she loved me all the same, and just told me to be safe."

"That sounds nice. My mother would probably just deny it and tell me to find a girl. But... Maybe it's time that I stand up for myself."

His radiant smile was beautiful, and my hope was starting to build even more.

"Thanks for telling me," I said. "I really like learning more about you."

"Maybe I'll share more some other time."

I gave him a pointy-toothed grin. "I'd like that."

We spent the rest of the day sitting there and watching TV. At some point, Haru took out his notebook and started to scribble in it, his pencil scratching across the surface of the page. Overall, it was peaceful and domestic, and I thought that I could get used to this.

"Rin," Haru spoke up after a while.

"Hmm?" I continued to watch the movie currently playing, but made sure to listen to what he had to say.

"Can you come to campus for our next tutoring session?" He asked. "Finals are fast approaching, and I think it would be easier to just work on my English in the dorms."

"Sure thing, Haru. Just text me a day, time, and your dorm number. I'll be there."

"Thank you," he said, smiling. "And on that note, it's time for me to leave."

He stood up, and I followed suit, really not wanting him to leave. It was getting late, though, and I knew he had to get back before curfew.

I showed him to the door, wanting to be in his presence for a little while longer.

"Hey," I said, as he was putting on his shoes. "Thanks for coming over today. The started out crappy, but you distracted me."

"I did tell you I'd be here if you needed me," he responded, standing up and facing me. "And I always will be."

And then he hugged me, gently but with full of meaning. Two hugs in one day was a bit overwhelming. I practically melted in his arms, and if hugging him felt this good, I wondered what kissing him would be like.

"See you tomorrow, Rin," he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. He pulled away and opened the door, waving once before exiting and taking the stairs down, leaving me breathless.

"Shit, Haru," I all but moaned. "You're going to kill me."

Making sure the door was locked, I went back to the sitting room. I could still feel the ghost of his breath in my ear, and I absentmindedly rubbed at my crotch. Maybe a good jerk off session on the couch would help me sleep.

I was distracted from those thoughts when I saw a piece of paper laying on the coffee table, and I instantly knew it was Haru's. He must have forgotten it. I was debating about whether to call him and tell him to turn back, but then decided I'd just give it to him tomorrow.

But when I picked up the paper to put it in a safe place, my eyes were immediately drawn to the curvy handwriting I'd come to know as uniquely Haru's. I scanned over the words, breath catching in my throat when I realized what it was.

It was a poem. A poem written by Haru.

I'd never actually read one of his poems before.

Before I could stop myself, I was reading over the words, completely ignoring the possibility that Haru might not have wanted to share his poetry for a reason. All that mattered at the moment were the words written so carefully in front of me.

 _When Red hot passion_   
_Meets cool Blue serenity,_

_Violet sparks ignite._

_With Red comes excitement,_   
_Joy_   
_And Peace,_   
_Shining light onto Blue's dull existence._   
  
_And Blue finds solace in Red's embrace,_   
_A haven to call his home,_   
_An unexpected flurry of feelings,_   
_A warmth that spreads throughout his bones._   
  
_So Blue waits,_   
_For one word,_   
_One look,_   
_One touch,_   
_And hopes that perhaps someday,_   
_A Violet storm will rage_

I read and reread the poem, mind working on overdrive. It was exciting, because finally, after so long, I got to read something written by Haru. I felt a twinge of guilt about reading it without his permission... But then a thought came to me. He couldn't have left it on purpose, could he?

My heart raced at the thought. I mean, it was sitting right there, in plain sight, in a place where I would be certain to find it. And Haru's other things were laying right by it, so how could he have missed it so easily?

And then the poem itself. Red and Blue. That couldn't be the two of us, could it? I scanned over the poem again, trying to make sense of it. I wasn't the best at interpretation, but the idea didn't seem to far-fetched.

In the end, I decided that if Haru asked about the poem the next day, I'd confirm that he left it and give it to him. If not... Then maybe I'd keep it and look at it from every angle possible.

And maybe I'd let it let it remind me of the cool blue eyes that looked at me softly and the warm arms that confronted me.

Maybe I'd let it give me hope.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter, guys! I've just been so busy lately, I've barely had any time to write. But this is my longest chapter ever, so I hope you liked it! It was a bit rushed, though.  
> The poem is pretty crappy, but I had massive writer's block and couldn't come up with anything better. Maybe Haru just likes writing about colors.  
> I feel like I had more things to say but it's almost 2am and I forgot. Anyway, feedback is much appreciated! My editor is out of the country, so if you guys find any typos, please tell me! Hope you had a nice Christmas! (Even though I don't celebrate it xD)


	14. My Angel in the Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, Rin thinks Haru is beautiful.  
> Perhaps, Haru thinks Rin is too.

“Rin-chaaaan!”

I stopped restocking the cups and looked around when I heard that familiar voice. Sosuke was helping another customer, throwing an annoyed look at Nagisa, who was practically draping himself all over the counter. Rei was behind him, trying futilely to get him to stand straight.

“Yo, Nagisa, Rei,” I said, putting the last few cups in place and turning my full attention to them. “Something I can get you?”

“Good morning, Rin-san,” Rei said, polite as usual. “I’d like a French Vanilla, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Got it. And what about you, blondy? Black to go with your soul?” I grinned at Nagisa, who pouted in response, still sagging on the counter.

“That’s mean, Rin-chan. Besides, who even said I have a soul?”

I raised a brow at him. “Good point. So what do you want? And stand up right, you’re going to get fingerprints on the glass.”

He groaned, not moving an inch in defiance. “But Rin-chaaaan!” Nagisa whined again. “I have every right to slouch like this! Stupid lectures suck, the teachers giving the lectures suck, and studying for exams sucks. And to top it off, we’ve been so busy studying, I haven’t gotten to do much sucking of my own lately!”

Rei almost choked on the sip of coffee (which I’d just handed him) he had just taken, sputtering and  red-faced. Sosuke and I exchanged looks, and I shuddered, trying to get that mental image out of my head.

“Thanks, but we really didn’t need to know that.”

“But it’s torture on my poor soul!” Nagisa complained.

“I thought you said you didn’t have a soul?” Sosuke chimed in.

Before Nagisa could make a comeback, Rei grabbed his arm, face crimson. “I apologize for his behavior, Rin-san. He’ll take the same as mine, and we’ll just grab a table and get out of your way now.”

Sometimes I wondered how a smart, polite (if not sometimes over the top) guy like Rei ended up with Nagisa. I quickly made Nagisa’s coffee, and in the foam, I drew a dick. I slid the drink over to him with a smirk.

“Maybe that’ll help with your sucking.”

Rei made some kind of dying squeak noise, and Nagisa burst out laughing, making an obscene gesture with his hand.

“Keep that up and you’ll be banging Haru-chan in no time!”

I felt my face heat up, and was glad beyond words that Rei finally dragged him away to a table. Sosuke was trying to keep in his laughter, and I shot him a glare.

“Stop laughing, you asshole!” I growled.

“Oh, but it’s not my asshole you want,” he replied gleefully, eyes shining with mirth.

I could only gape at him, stunned by his cheekiness.

“But,” he added, and then his expression turned to one of disgust. “There’s the asshole you do want.”

My eyes snapped over to the doors, where the bell just jingled and in walked Haru, clad in a white sweater and looking as gorgeous as ever. When our eyes met, he smiled, walking up to the counter. He ignored Sosuke, but that wasn’t anything new. The most important thing was that all of his attention was on me.

“Hey, Haru. The usual?” I asked, already moving to make his coffee. He nodded, rubbing eyes gently. When I took a closer look, I noticed the circles under his eyes and the tiredness that showed on his features. “Tired? Studying for exams must have you running ragged. Nagisa was just complaining how everything sucks.”

I nodded over in the couple’s direction, and Haru spared them a glance before returning his attention to me.

“My scores are important to me, so I’ve been using most of time to revise,” he said, gratefully taking  the cup from my hands. Our fingers brushed together for a fraction of a second, and though his were freezing cold, the contact still managed to send a spark through me. All I wanted was to take his hands in my own and warm them up.

“You’ll do great,” I assured.

With a smiled, making me blush again. God, I was blushing like a schoolgirl lately. Paying for his drink, he asked me to join him on his break, and went to sit with his friends. I stared after him, letting out a soft sigh.

“Man, he’s got you whipped,” Sosuke noted.

“Shut up,” I retorted, smacking his arm.

People came in one after the other, mostly students looking to warm up and needing caffeine to stay awake. I felt sorry for them, but at the same time I was glad I wasn’t going to university.

“Hey,” I said, a thought hitting me. “Why aren’t you a zombie like everyone else?”

Sosuke let out a laugh. “Maybe I am and I just hide it well.” I gave him a pointed look, scanning him up and down to see any trace of long nights spent studying. “Or maybe you’ll see me looking like that soon, because I’m up to my neck in school work and working here. I’ve never been so stressed in my life.”

I patted his shoulder in a soothing gesture, flashing him a sympathetic grin. “Hey, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.”

He snorted, covering his mouth with his hand. “I’m not you, Rin. I don’t cry at every little thing.”

I dropped my hand, feigning offence. “You know what, I take it back. You’re a bastard and you don’t deserve sympathy.”

“The truth hurts.”

We exchanged playful banter, serving customers and giving encouraging smiles to every student who looked about ready to collapse. The smiles had more of an effect on girls, but I didn’t complain because I already had my sights set on a beautiful boy. When my break finally came, I practically skipped over to an empty table, sitting down and waving Haru over. No way was I sitting Nagisa when I could have some time to talk with Haru.

He came over and sat down across from me.The deep blue of his eyes sent chills down my spine, while at the same time warming my heart. All I could think about was the poem he had written, the poem I read every single day.

Haru hadn’t asked about it yet, so I assumed he had meant for me to find it. The more I read it, the more obvious it seemed. Red and Blue? Come one, that _had_ to be us. And if I was reading it right, did that mean that he was waiting for me to speak up? To say something about my feelings? Violet was another color that was mentioned, and after racking my brains, I couldn’t think of it representing anything other than us being together. After all, mixing red and blue did make purple.

I wasn’t stupid, and after a week, I was pretty sure I’d figured it out.

And the nerves were killing me.

I wanted to tell him so badly. I wanted to reach out and grab his hand and tell him how much he meant to me. But it was terrifying, because what if I’d made a mistake and was wrong? What if he didn’t actually like me? I’d be crushed.

“Is something wrong, Rin?” Haru’s voice snapped me out of my reverie, concern in his eyes.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine,” I said. I hesitated a moment, then took a deep breath. “Hey… Can I… Can I tell you something?”

”Of course you can, Rin,” he said sincerely.

_Come on, Rin, I thought to myself. Don’t be a wuss. Just say it. Three little words. Come on, you can do it. You’re a man. So man up and spit it out already._

“I don’t think Nagisa has a soul,” I blurted out, then mentally face-palmed. My God, I was such an idiot.

Haru looked at me in utter confusion, and I played it off as if it was a serious joke because I was embarrassed as fuck.

“Yeah,” I said, lowering my voice and leaning in. “Sometimes he looks so out of it. And that evil aura coming from him. Don’t tell me you haven’t felt it.” I flickered my gaze over to the blond who was chattering animatedly to his boyfriend.

Haru chuckled, shaking his head.

“I sometimes think that you and Nagisa are quite alike: childish, in an endearing way.”

All the embarrassment from earlier was wiped away and replaced by pure horror.

“I’m nothing like that little blond demon!” I protested. “And I’m not _childish_. How many children do you know that get their face pierced?”

He was laughing in amusement, and my heart skipped a beat at how beautiful he looked. Maybe being called childish wasn’t so bad, if it got him to laugh like that.

“I never said it was a bad thing.”

I rolled my eyes, but was secretly happy. “Yeah, yeah. Now, let’s talk about something serious before my break’s over.” _Just not about how much I want to kiss your stupid face._ “When do you want the next tutoring session to be?”

He instantly sobered up, thinking as he stared at his empty cup.

“Perhaps this weekend,” he suggested. “You can come to campus around noon. I’ll text you  the dorm building and room number.”

I nodded, and he pulled out his phone to send me the information. A second later, my phone buzzed.

_**From: Haru <3** _

_Dorm Building B, room number 17._

Saving the info, I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

“Sounds good,” I said. “You’ve been getting a lot better at the grammar, so don’t sweat it too much.”

He nodded, and pulled out a notebook. I took that as my cue to get back to work, because I was sure Sosuke would be yelling at me pretty soon.

"I'll catch you later, Haru," I said, standing up.

He looked at me for a long moment, making me nervous with the way he was staring. It was like he was trying to decide something, and I felt like he could see straight into my heart.

He finally nodded, and I let out a silent sigh of relief. I went back to my spot behind the counter, wondering what that was all about.

I got back to work, deciding not to dwell on it. Instead, all I could do was berate myself for chickening out.

* * *

 

Snow crunched under my shoes as I walked through the gate of Haru's university. It was early December, and after days of the sky darkening and clouds forming, the pure white flakes finally started to fall.

I was bundled up in my jacket, beanie on my head and gloves on my hands, which were buried in my pockets. A red scarf was wrapped around my neck, pulled slightly over my nose.

I'd never actually went on campus before, so I took my time looking around.  It was nice, with a lit of open space and benches and tables spread out. There were shops, too: food places where students could work and general shops for things a dorm room would need. There wasn't really a need for students to leave campus, unless they felt like walking around town.

Snow was everywhere, littering the ground and the tops of trees, covering everything in white. I went to the office to see if I needed to check in as a visitor, then made my way to dorm building B.

On the way, I didn't pass by many people. It was Sunday, so there weren't any classes and it was cold as fuck anyway. I finally found the building, shuffling inside and relaxing in the warmth.

The lobby was spacious, with couches and a laundry room off to the side. There was a desk with a woman behind it, furiously typing away on her computer. She didn't notice me walk in, so I just went over to the elevators and pressed the button to go up. When I stepped inside, I hesitated, wondering which floor Haru's room would be on. Maybe I should've asked the lady.

Deciding to just wing it, I pressed the button for the third floor. When the elevator stopped and I stepped out, I went down the hall, reading the numbers on the door as I passed. It turned out that I was in luck, because room number 17 just so happened to be on that floor.

I stopped in front of the door, suddenly nervous and excited. I was about to see Haru in his natural habitat.

I knocked on the door, waiting with bated breath. I heard shuffling on the other side, and a moment later, the door opened to reveal Haru, wearing a sweater as usual.

"Hey," I greeted, grin stretching wide.

"Hello, Rin," he smiled, stepping to the side to let me in. "Glad you could made it."

I entered the room, and was surprised to find that is was pretty big, with two beds and two desks, a bathroom, a TV, and even a mini fridge. Damn, this university was pretty damn cool.

“Makoto’s out, so we won’t have any interruptions for a while. Sit anywhere you’d like.” He motioned around the room and then moved to get his notebook. I noticed his laptop (decorated in dolphin stickers) was sitting on his bed, open and with the screen lit up. I pulled out one of the desk chairs and sat down facing the bed, and he sat in his spot once again.

“Have you been studying those songs?” I asked.

“Of course,” he answered, and he turned his laptop around to show me that it was paused on _Intoxicated._ "I'm sure I've memorized all the lyrics to most of these songs."

"That's awesome, Haru! So which one's your favorite.?"

“ _Endlessly_ ,” he said without hesitation. “Though _Angel With a Shotgun_ is a close second.”

His accent was still funny, but I was proud to note that he pronounced the names perfectly.

“Those are my favorites, too,” I said, grinning. “It helps to have a tune to learn the words, huh?”

He nodded, opening his notebook that had been filled with various English notes from our past sessions. “I’ve taken quite a liking to music now.”

“Glad to hear it! Now, let’s get down to business.”

We spent the next two hours going over what Haru had learned before, and then moving on to new vocabulary and grammar. Every so often, he would yawn, his hand pausing from what it was writing.

We were playing music in the background softly, and every time _Intoxicated_ came on, I would steal glances at him because he really did make me feel intoxicated sometimes. Like I was drunk on love.

"English is a horrid language," he stated calmly after a while. I laughed, watching as he scribbled rabidly, taking notes and muttering under his breath.

"Got that right."

I corrected some of his spelling, telling him that _thoroughly_ had a silent _g_ in it, which he completely did not understand. He furrowed his brows the way he did when he was concentrating or trying to understand something.

Somehow, I ended up sitting next to him on his bed, shoulders brushing and backs against the wall. We stayed like that for another hour or so, until I was getting restless and Haru was constantly massaging his temple.

"Hey, why don't we take a break?" I suggested, moving to stand and stretching my legs.

Haru sighed, closing his eyes and pressing his fingertips to his temples.

"Perhaps we should. Just a short one, though. I still have a lot of studying to do."

I looked him over, taking in his tired appearance.

"Haru, when's the last time you had some fun?"

He looked at me in confusion. "Fun?"

"Yeah. You know, like put away the books for a while and just did something fun."

He shook his head, looking down at his notes. "I've been revising for days now, I haven't had time to do anything joyful."

I frowned, because I was totally not having that.

"Well then how about we-"

I was cut off by the ringing of a phone, and judging by the ringtone, it wasn't mine. Haru reached over to the table beside his bed and picked up his phone. He looked at the screen, his eyes widening, then glanced at me. I rose my eyebrows, noticing the conflicting emotions on his expression. He let it ring once more before he answered the phone.

"Hello, Mother."

 _Oh_. It was his mom. Now that look made sense. I secretly didn't like his mother, what with the way she was so strict with Haru. In fact, I didn't like either of his parents, even if I hadn't met them yet.

"Yes, that's alright," Haru was saying, voice quieter than usual. I stayed still where I stood, not even pretending that I wasn't listening. "I'll go to Makoto's, or just stay home. Don't worry Mother, I understand. Yes. Okay, goodbye."

He hung up the phone, looking even tireder.

"What was that about?" I asked, willing him to stop staring at his phone and look at me. When he did, his eyes were indifferent, like he really didn’t care but was just tired.

“Mother was just informing me that she and Father will not be home for Christmas. It’s nothing unusual, so I don’t mind.”

I gaped at him, awestruck.

“You don’t mind?” I asked incredulously. “They’re your parents and they’re skipping out on Christmas with their son!”

He shrugged, and I could feel my blood boiling with anger towards his parents.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said calmly. “Though, I doubt I can go with Makoto this time. He’ll most likely take Sei to meet his family.”

His indifference was ticking me off. I mean, if my mom skipped out on Christmas with me and Gou, I’d be pissed!

“Okay, you know what?” I said, and I took his hand, dragging him off the bed. “Put on some gloves. We’re gonna have some fun.”

“Rin, what-”

“Just do it, Haru!”

He didn’t question me any further, moving to put on another sweater, gloves, a scarf, and boots. He looks absolutely adorable bundled up like that, the scarf wrapped tight around his neck. I quickly put on my jacket and scarf too, pulling Haru out of the room.

“You’ve been studying way too hard lately,” I said, pressing the button for the elevator. “You need to relax a little and unwind. That’s where I come in.”

He stayed silent, opting to just follow me out of the building and into the cold, December air.

“See this snow?” I asked, motioning to the piles of white. “Snow falls for a reason, and that’s so you can make snow angels.”

I led him over to a little hill, flopping down on the ground beneath a snow-covered tree. I felt like such a kid, moving my arms and legs and making a snow angel, but it was worth it to see Haru’s lips twitching up in a smile.

“Ren and Ran sometimes persuade me to make snow angels with them, so I’m not completely inexperienced.” At my questioning look, he added: “They’re Makoto’s younger siblings.” With that, he dropped down next to me and started making an angel of his own.

We probably looked like idiots: two teenagers making snow angels on a college campus with no one else around. But it felt good, and when we compared our masterpieces, it was fun to debate on who’s angel was better.

“But Rin,” Haru said, “I gave mine a halo. Clearly I win.”

I rolled my eyes. He looked innocent, but his smirk gave him away.

“Whatever. Hey, how about we make a snowman?”

Without waiting for a response, I started to gather up snow and try to make a big ball out of it. Haru joined me a second later, packing snow together and adding it to my ball (which didn’t look like a ball at all, but we were getting there). I tried my best to make it round, patting down the snow and rolling it around to try and smoothen it. Haru helped, and between the two of us, we made what could pass as a pretty big ball, and soon we were started on the next one.

This one was lumpy and totally not round, but we didn’t care. Together, we lifted it up and put it on top of the other one, finally getting started on the head.

The head was the worst, even if it was smaller. When we put it on, I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

“It needs a face,” I concluded, and started searching for rocks. Between the two of us, we gathered some pretty decent sized rocks, and did our best to stick them on the snowman’s head. Two were used as its eyes, one for its nose, and five were stuck on a curve for its mouth. Finally, we  found two twigs and shoved them into its side, for its arms.

“Rin?”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s never consider making snowmen for a living.”

I burst out laughing, because really, this was the silliest thing ever, and yet I hadn’t had this much fun in a long time.

I sat down next to our new friend, trying to catch my breath.

“I’m going to name him Bob,” I decided.

“Bob?” Haru asked, sitting next to me and rubbing his hands together.

“Yeah. Bob the Snowman. He was in a horrible accident that made his once handsome face a mess.”

“That accident would be encountering Rin Matsuoka’s hands.”

“Oh, shut up.”

He smiled, and we sat in silence for a while, just staring out across the snowy grounds. Our breaths came in puffs of steam, disappearing into the frigid air. The sun was nowhere to be seen, the sky a dull grey. But even the weather couldn’t dampen my spirits, because sitting with Haru, even if we weren’t saying anything, was bliss.

“Rin, look over there.” Haru pointed in the direction of the gates, and I craned my neck to see what he was talking about. “Do you see that?”

I couldn’t really see anything, other than the gates themselves and the snow beyond.

“What is it?” I asked. “I don’t see anything.”

“Right there. Look harder.”

So I did. I looked and looked and didn’t see anything. When I was getting frustrated, I groaned, because I really wanted to see what he was pointing out..

“Haru, I don’s see-” I stopped mid sentence, rudely interrupted by a snowball hitting me in the back of my head.

I heard Haru struggling to contain his laughter, and I slowly turned around, my expression unamused.

“Oh, you _bastard_. Fine, it’s on. Get ready to get your ass kicked!” I scrambled to my feet, scooping up snow while Haru frowned, obviously not liking my choice of words.

“I told you not to swear.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” And I promptly hit him in the chest with a snowball of my own.

We dissolved into a full on snowball fight, Haru launching one at me while I ducked, scooping up more snow to throw.

I kept my distance, using it to my advantage to dodge any attacks and then swoop in for my own. He caught me off guard sometimes, and soon my black jacket was covered in white frost. He managed to hit me in the shoulder at the same time I nailed him in the arm. I was laughing breathlessly, my skin cold but feeling hot from all the movement. I couldn’t take my eyes off Haru, who looked like he was having a blast, snow caught in his dark hair.

A snowball hit me on my leg, and I stumbled backward, tripping on an upturned root. I went crashing straight into the snowman, which crumbled and collapsed under my weight.

“Bob!” I yelled, looking at the mess that used to be our pathetic snowman. “You lived a short life,” I said seriously. “But you were a great friend."

Another snowball hit me in the back, and I turned to find Haru armed with another two already.

"Bob would have been destroyed by someone else eventually," Haru reasoned, panting. "At least he was destroyed by the man who created him."

Those wise words were followed by another ball of snow flying through the air towards me, which I dodged easily. I figured it was time to win this match, and rushed forward, wrapping my arms around Haru's chest and tackling him to the ground.

"Ah!" He yelled as we went down, fall cushioned by the snow. He seemed to regain his senses quickly, because he did his best to overpower me.

Our snowball-fight-turned-wrestling match involved us mostly rolling around in the snow. At one point I managed to pin him down, but a second later, he flipped us over and had my head in a headlock.

"Come on, Haru, give up," I gasped, struggling to flip us over again.

"Make me, Rin," he teased, and the breathless way he said it did something to me.

I got a good grip on him and pinned him to the ground. I sat on his thighs to keep his legs from moving, and I leaned over his body to grab his wrists and pin them on either side of his head. We were both panting, skin icy cold but adrenaline coursing through our veins.

"I win," I started, gasping for air.

He didn't reply, only worked on getting his breath back. Up close like this, I could see how much he was smiling, and it struck me that this Haru, the one who smiled so freely, with cheeks and nose pink from the cold, was the most beautiful. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering again, our faces only inches away, breath creating fog in the air.

"Hey," I whispered, as if I was telling him some grand secret.

"Hmm?" He stayed stock still, apparently comfortable being pinned down like this.

"Come spend Christmas with me and my family."

His eyes widened, shock showing clearly on his face.

"Rin-"

"Haru, I'm serious." I leaned in a little closer, voice soft as I memorized every inch of his face. "Gou would love it, you can meet my Mom, and I'd be so happy if you stayed with us, instead of being alone."

He hesitated, searching my eyes for any hint that I was joking. I just smiled, because there was nothing better I could think of than spending Christmas with Haru.

"Please?"

He paused for a second more, then seemed to make up his mind.

"Alright, if you insist."

I broke out into a grin, heart beating wildly in my chest and joy taking over me.

"Perfect," I breathed. And then I leaned closer, eyes flickering to his pink lips.

I wanted him so badly. I wanted to throw away every ounce of anxiety I felt and just tell him how much I loved him. I wanted him to be mime, for his poem to come true, and for us to be together, finally.

So, I decided it didn't matter if I somehow got it wrong and Christmas was spent awkwardly avoiding each other. I needed to know.

"You're perfect," I whispered, for the second time in just a few days.

I leaned closer, our bodies almost pressed fully together, his arms still pinned by his head. I hesitated when we were nose to nose, but he didn't move, so I took my chance.

I leaned forward and closed the gap between us.

I heard him inhale through his nose when our lips met, and I felt like I could die at that moment. His lips were soft against mine, a solid warmth pressed chastely against my mouth. The butterflies in my stomach were going crazy, my heart hammering wildly in my chest as I pressed a little harder, eyes shut tight. I was about to lift my head, but I felt him tilting his head to side a bit more, and a jolt went up my spine at the thought of him trying to deepen the kiss.

So I let him, opening my mouth just a fraction and moving our lips together. He responded, kissing me back awkwardly, and it was so endearing that I couldn't help but gently nip at his lower lip.

He gasped, and the kiss was broken, but I didn't mind. I was grinning like a maniac, watching his blushing face as he licked over the lip I'd just bit, breath coming a bit faster.

"... Finally," was the only thing he said, and it came out mostly as an exhale.

"So I guess that poem really was for me, huh?" I asked softly.

He smiled, eyes slightly lidded, fondness clear in his eyes. He moved his hands from my grip, putting his glove-clad palms on my cheeks.

"Oh, Rin," he said. "My oblivious, dense Rin. Of course it was for you. You wouldn't have done anything otherwise."

I did my best impression of Nagisa's pout. "You could have said something, you know."

He chuckled, thumb stroking over my cheekbone. "It was amusing to see you struggle."

I ruffled his hair, now completely lying on top of him. "You're a jerk."

"And you're gorgeous."

My breath caught in my throat, my cheeks heating up and words failing me. All I could do was gape like a fish out of water.

He laughed softly again, kissing my cheek. "Please let me up now, Rin. My back is freezing."

I scrambled to my feet, getting off of him and lending him a hand. He took it, standing up too and brushing snow from his clothes.

"Shall we go inside now?" He asked. "I think we've had enough fun for one day."

"Yeah, sure," i managed to get out, heart skipping a beat when he took my hand.

I honestly couldn't believe it. I'd been stressing about my feelings for Haru for weeks, and now here I was holding hands with him as we walked back to his dorm. And that kiss. My lips were still tingling from it. I was on cloud nine and there wasn't even any tongue involved.

We walked back to Haru's room in comfortable silence, ignoring the lady behind the desk who was still rapidly tying on her computer. I traced soothing circles on the back of Haru's hand as he opened the door to his room, leading me inside. We took off our gloves, scarves, and boots, relishing in the warmth of the room after the cold of the snow. When he sat down on his bed, I joined him, sitting only a inch apart.

"So..." I started, unable to take my eyes off him.

"So I suppose this makes us a couple?" He asked, taking my hand again.

I grinned for the millionth time, bringing his hand to my lips and kissing it.

"Yeah. I really do like you, Haru."

"And I you, Rin."

And we were the cheesiest guys on the planet, but that was okay. I couldn't hold back anymore and leaned in, claiming his lips in a gentle kiss again.

Kissing Haru was the greatest feeling ever, I concluded. Feeling the way his lips awkwardly moved against mine gave me chills, and I pressed forward more, properly deepening it this time. He let me take the lead, which I assumed was from a lack of experience (not that I had much experience myself. I'd only ever dated one guy before). I used my free hand to thread my fingers into his hair, keeping him close.

I licked across the seam of his lips, and he gasped, mouth opening just enough for me to slip my tongue inside. I explores his hot, wet mouth, gently rubbing out tongues together and suckinh on his lip. He'd practically gone limp in my arms, hands trembling from where they clutched me tight.

It seemed like kissing with tongue involved was really doing it for him, and I was mentally applauding myself for my great technique when I remembered something.

Haru hadn't known about my tongue piercing.

Currently, it was rubbing against the roof of his mouth, drawing out the cutest (and sexiest) little moan I'd ever heard. He was mostly quiet, though, the only way I could tell that he was affected was from the way he was leaning against me.

I finally pulled back for much needed air, and we stared at each other. His face was pink and his lips shone in the light from our saliva, his breaths coming in pants.

"I... I didn't know you had a tongue piercing," he said, when he had himself under control.

I winked, though I was just as wrecked as he was. "There's something else you don't know about me, either. But we'll save that for another time."

He nodded, and I noticed he was looking at my lips again, curious and wanting, and I decided to indulge him (because why the hell would I skip out on kissing Haru?).

"Want another taste?" I asked, Pulling him closer by the waist.

His only answer was to wrap his arms around my neck and tentatively connect our lips once again.

I was lost, feeling truly intoxicated with the way our tongues brushed together, and the way his fingers felt in my hair. Every time we parted for a second to gulp in a breath, I smelled his oceanic scent, letting it soothe and comfort me.

We were so lost in kissing each other that we didn't even hear the door open.

"Haru! Do you want to-" Makoto stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening comically when he saw us. Haru and I broke apart only at the lips, our arms still around each other. Haru looked completely unfazed, as if this was a regular occurrence.

"Makoto," was all he said.

Makoto laughed nervously, an awkward blush staining his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry to interrupt," he apologized, quickly moving to his desk and grabbing a book. "I'll leave you guys to it. Um, congratulations, though, on getting together. Looks like Sei owes  me 2,000  yen."

"You bet money on us?" I asked incredulously.

"Sorry, Rin," he apologized again, but he was smiling softly. "But Sei was certain you wouldn't make a move until after New Years. I was sure you two would be together before the year was over."

Makoto and Haru made eye contact, and I could swear they were silently communicating to each other. A minute later, Haru nodded and Makoto smiled, heading to the door again.

"I'll get out of your hair, now," he said politely, beaming at us. "I'm so happy for your guys. See you later, Rin."

He left, leaving us alone again. I groaned, laying my head down on Haru's shoulder.

"What is wrong with our friends?" I asked in despair. "They're either crazy, evil, or they bet on us for money."

I felt Haru's fingers brushing through my hair soothingly, and I sighed in contentment.

"But we love them anyway," Haru said, and I silently agreed.

We stayed that way for a while, the mood from before gone. It was a good thing, because I'm sure if we kept making out like that, we'd be heading towards something we weren't entirely ready for yet. Besides, I was actually really fond of this cuddling.

"I need to continue revising," Haru said after a while.

"Yeah," I agreed.

Neither of us moved, choosing yo drag out the moment a bit longer. It was warm and safe in Haru's arms, and if it was up to me, I'd never leave.

But pretty soon, we were untangling ourselves from each other. Haru picked up his notebook again, opening it and rereading everything he's written. I grabbed a pencil of my own, pushing all feelings and desires to the back of my mind in favor of helping Haru study. I kissed his cheek, whispering, "My perfect boyfriend," in his ear, enjoying the way his lips twitched in a smile, before getting down to business.

I helped Haru study for a good two hours, only pausing to sneak in kisses which he half heartedly protested too, but most often than not reciprocated. It was so much better than our other tutoring sessions, since this time I could sit as close as I wanted without having to hide anything from him.

About an hour in, my phone buzzed, and when I checked it, I shook my head in exasperation.

_**From: The Captain** _

_You made me lose 2000¥, bitchbaby. Way to finally grow some balls at my expense_

_**To: The Captain** _

_Fuck you :p_

With that awesome comeback, I turned to look over Haru's notes again, only to be distracted by the buzzing of my phone.

_**From: The Captain** _

_More like fuck that dolphin boy of yours ;)_

With flaming cheeks, I decided that I wouldn't dignify that text with a response, so I just shut my phone off and focused in Haru.

We discussed vocab for another hour, and when it was really dark outside, we decided to wrap it up for the day. It was almost 8:00, and I knew I should be getting back home, so I once again bundled myself up for the cold.

"You know, I actually feel bad for Bob," I said as I put on my shoes.

"He's in a better place," Haru said, handing me my scarf. I wrapped it around my neck, all set to go. I lingered, though, just standing there with Haru and gazing into his deep blue eyes.

"It's only going to get later, Rin," he said, fingers stroking my face.

"Mm, I know. Kiss for the road?"

He smiled and leaned in, and I met him halfway, heart still leaping as the contact.

When we pulled apart, he kissed the tip of my nose.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered.

"For sure."

It was hard ti leave, just like it was always hard watching him go. But I somehow dragged myself over to the elevators and go in. As the doors closed, I leaned against the wall of the elevator and closed my eyes. How weird was it that I started off the day thinking of what Haru's feelings for me could be, and ended it with a sweet kiss from the one I loved? If that wasn't true happiness, I don't know what was.

I once again passed by the lady behind the desk (who was still typing away. Damn, was she writing a novel or something?) and exited the building. The grounds were lit up with lights by now, and there were only a few people out and about, hurrying along.

As I exited the gates, I took one last look back. This was where Haru and I had shared our first kiss. I hadn't been able to tell him I loved him, having chickened out at the weight of the words, but I'd do it soon.

Because I really did love Haru.

And I had a feeling that love wasn't just a temporary bliss.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What better way to start off the new year than with a kiss! Happy New Year, everyone!  
> RIP Bob the Snowman.  
> ALSO, the beautiful art is done by tumblr user fluffyzor! I'll never be able to get over its beauty :D


	15. Of Friends and Boyfriends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin learns how amazing friends can be, and how wonderful it is to have a boyfriend.

Sunday night, I went to bed feeling on top of the world, smile refusing to leave my lips.

Monday morning, I woke up with my cock hard and wet in my boxers. By the time I finished moaning Haru's name and cleaning the cum off my fingers, I barely had enough time to shower and run out the door. Breakfast was forgotten, but I didn't care. I'd grab a bagel at the cafe.

I texted Haru good morning, which I could now and not seem weird because now we were _dating_  and I could finally do thing like that. I got a response instantly, him wishing me a good morning as well.

The fact that Haru usually took forever to reply to texts just made the day a little bit brighter.

"Yo, Bitchbaby," Sei called out from the doors to the cafe. "Cutting it a bit close, don't you think?"

I bumped fists with him when I got close, looking inside to see Sosuke already starting to set up behind the counter, looking sleepy and yawning every few seconds.

"Sorry Captain, had to take care of something real quick," I replied, going to put on my work apron.

"I can guess what that _something_ was," I heard him mutter as he made his way to the kitchen.

I stuck my tongue out at him, but didn't respond. Really, I was just too happy to care.

"Stop talking," Sosuke groaned, rubbing his temples. "I already have a headache without you two dicking off."

"Dicking off? What the hell does that even mean?" I asked.

"It means that Sosuke finally succumbing to the pressure of exams," Sei said, walking back out and leaning against the counter. "This is a crappy time for all of us uni students. Makoto even cried once from the stress of it all. I had to hold him for a solid hour. My poor baby."

I made a gagging noise, earning a slap on the back of the head from Sei.

"Don't act like you wouldn't do the same fro Dolphin Boy."

I scowled, shoving him lightly. "Don't call him that."

Sosuke groaned again, louder this time. "I don't want to deal with you both _and_ the customers today. I was up till 4 this morning going over the criminology vocab. I already have too many words swimming around my head. I don't need you two arguing over your boyfriend and crush, thanks."

I made eye contact with Sei, who raised his eyebrows at me. Guess I forgot to mention to Sosuke that my crush wasn't so one-sided anymore. Sei mouthed _good luck_ and walked back to the kitchen, obviously not wanting to be around for any drama, just in case.

"Sorry, man," I said, patting his shoulder, while he put his head down against the glass. How was I supposed to tell him? Just over a month ago he was confessing to _me_. How could I tell him I had a boyfriend?

Well, I'd get back to that when I thought it through.

The rest of the morning was spent dealing with customers, and I was able to somehow sneak a bagel in without Sei noticing. It helped that he was in the kitchen most of the time. Momo and Ai came in looking tired and stressed, but somehow Momo was still able to mess around with us before getting to work. After making sure the coast was clear, I let Sosuke go on his break early, telling him to grab a table and take a nap.

"You're a life saver," he said, before walking off to find a table and sleep for half an hour.

I was able to cover Sosuke's position just fine, thankful that there wasn't much of a rush. Even when a customer did get pissed when they had to wait a minute, I didn't let it bother me. Instead, I replayed the kiss with Haru over and over in my mind, smiling brightly to the assholes when I gave them their coffee.

When I went to wake Sosuke up, my phone buzzed in my pocket, and I swiftly pulled it out.

_**From: Haru <3** _

_I'll be slightly late today. Makoto wants to accompany me._

With a smile, I typed back a quick response before focusing on Sosuke again.

"Hey, wake up," I said, shaking his shoulder gently.

"Mm?" He moaned in question, starting to wake up.

"Come on, time to get back to work."

He groaned, but lifted his head, blinking rapidly.

"That time already?" He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"'Fraid so. Feel any better?"

He pushed himself up from the chair, flexing his neck. "Yeah, actually. No more headache and I'm not as tired as I was earlier."

"Great. Now let's serve these shitty people their damn coffee."

He chuckled, following me back behind the counter and putting on his apron again. "Had to deal with some jerks?"

"Mhm. Assholes can't wait an extra minute in line.”

Thankfully, no customers were around to hear their assistant manager say that, or else I would have been in a lot of trouble.

The next two hours were spent as always. It was fun to watch people come in, brushing snow off their shoulders and breathing in the warmth of the cafe. In all honesty, I was ready for Christmas to be here already so I could have a few days off. On our last Crew Bonding day, Sei had told us that we’d all have a week off from work, starting from the 24th and going all  the way until the 1st. His parents would be back in town to spend Christmas with him and Momo, and Old Man Mikoshiba didn’t have the usual rules when it came to running a cafe. Since it was run by students as a fun little thing on the side for their family, he figured he’d give us more time off (paid, which was pretty damn awesome). So I was really looking forward to spending the week at my mother’s house. And now that Haru would be there too, it was even better.

I was absentmindedly doodling on a napkin when Makoto and Haru showed up, bags by their sides and scarves wrapped tightly around their necks.

“Hi, guys!” Makoto said cheerfully once they reached the counter.

“Hey, Makoto,” Sosuke and I said that the same time before my attention shifted to Haru, whose nose and mouth was covered by the scarf.

I ginned at him, reaching over to brush a few snowflakes out of his hair. “Hey, babe,” I said naturally, pleased to see the blush on his cheeks at my words.

A choking sound beside me made me freeze, and I instantly remembered that Sosuke didn’t know yet. Slowly turning, I saw his eyes wide, looking back and forth between me and Haru. He was gaping a bit, but he seemed to come to his senses when he caught my eyes.

“Bathroom. Be right back,” he said hurriedly, before pushing past me.

“Sosuke-” I started, making to go after him, but Haru caught my hand. He shook his head, pulling me back closer to the counter.

“Leave him alone for a bit,” he said softly. letting go of my hand after brushing his thumb over the back of it.

“Did you know that he…?” I asked, leaving the question open.

He nodded, smiling fondly at me. “I’m sure everyone but you knew, Rn.”

“Oh. Well then.” With nothing else to say and not being able to go after Sosuke, I asked the two for their orders.

“Don’t worry about Sosuke,” Makoto said gently. “He just needs a little time to come to terms with the fact that you’re really taken now.”

I guess that made sense. He seemed fine the day after I turned him down but apparently finding out that I really wasn’t available anymore was a different kind of pain.

I gave Makoto his coffee and slice of cake, and he stood to the side to wait for Sei to come to the front. With Haru’s coffee, I wondered what kind of latte art I wanted to do. Over the past couple months, I’d done a ton of different things for the art, but this time I knew exactly what I wanted.

I carefully made a heart out of the foam of the latte, and handed it over to Haru with a grin. Taking it, he looked down and instantly blushed avoiding my eyes and hiding his lips behind his scarf again.

An embarrassed Haru was a cute Haru.

Looking back to me, he hesitated a moment before leaning over the counter and taking my chin in his fingers. The next thing I knew, he was kissing the side of my mouth chastely, pulling away quickly in case anyone saw.

“I’ll find us a table,” he said to Makoto, and took off, drink clutched in his hand.

Makoto chuckled, and I was still in a daze from that little kiss.

“I have to thank you, Rin,” Makoto said sincerely.

I tilted my head in confusion, silently telling him to go on.

“He’s been a lot happier lately,” he continued. “I mean, it’s hard to tell with  Haru; he’s always so quiet and stoic, most people have to guess how he’s feeling. But I’ve known him my whole life, and I can see how much happier he’s been since he met you. He talks a lot more around you, too.”

I was a little surprised by his words, but I couldn’t say I wasn’t pleased. If Makoto of all people was saying that I made Haru happy, then I was going to believe him.

“Well, he makes me happy too, so I guess we’re good for each other,” I said happily.

Sei came out of the kitchen then, spotting Makoto and swiftly going over to him, wrapping him in a hug that almost made him spill his coffee. He kissed Makoto’s cheek, golden eyes ten times brighter than this morning.

“Great to see you,” Sei said, standing close to his boyfriend with a hand on his hip. Makoto beamed, cheeks pink.

“Good to see you too, Sei. I can’t wait for break to start so we can have more time together.”

“I know what you mean. Let’s just try to survive our exams, first.”

For the second time that day, I made a retching noise, pretending to throw up at their level of sweetness. While Makoto laughed, Sei slapped my arm, wrapping his arms protectively around Makoto.

“Momo and Ai can take care of things in the kitchen for a while,” he said, ignoring me. “I’ll sit with you for a bit.”

He flipped me the bird as he walked away with his arm around Makoto’s waist, and I was left alone to worry about my friend again. Sosuke hadn’t gotten back from his bathroom break yet, so I was stuck serving the next customer while wondering anxiously if he would be okay. Just as the customer was leaving, I heard footsteps approaching and a second later I was joined by Sosuke.

He didn’t look too good, but I was relieved to find that he didn’t seemed to have been crying; his eyes weren’t red or puffy, so I was able to relax a little.

“You okay?” I asked, leaning my hip against the counter.

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I’m fine. I guess it’s just kind of shocking, you know? You’ve finally gotten a boyfriend.”

“I had a boyfriend before, you know,” I said, frowning.

“I know… but this feels different somehow. You’re not fifteen anymore, Rin. You’re almost 20, a man. And I’m pretty sure you’re serious about this one, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question, and I didn’t know what to say for a while. Sosuke deserved the truth, to now that he was right, and that it really was time for him to move on.

“Yeah,” I confirmed. “This isn’t just a crush anymore, Sosuke.” I looked him dead in the eye to let him know I was serious. “I in love with Haru, and I want this to last for as long as possible.”

He nodded, his shoulders sagging in what could either be defeat or relief.

“I knew that, but hearing it from you makes it more real. Just don’t abandon your best friend, yeah?”

I smiled, and he returned it, even if it wasn’t the strongest. “Don’t worry man, I could never do that. How about we head to my next Tuesday after work? If I neglected you, then that’d mean neglecting my workout routine.”

“And of course we can’t have that,” he laughed. “It’s a deal. But hey, if Nanase doesn’t treat you right, I’m kicking his ass.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that, but whatever you say.”

“So now Momo, Ai and me are the only single ones left in the crew, huh?” He said conversationally, as if he hadn’t just spent fifteen minutes in the bathroom pulling himself together. “Maybe you should let Momo go out with Gou. Then there’ll only be two left.”

I rejected that idea immediately, hating it with every ounce of my being, though I was secretly glad for the subject change. “Hell no! I wouldn’t even let Sei have her, and he’s a hundred times more mature than Momo.”

“If you keep that up, she’ll be single for the rest of her life.”

“All for the better then. I don’t need some bastard messing with my baby sister.”

He shook his head in amusement, apparently finding my protectiveness amusing.

“She’s not a kid anymore, Rin.”

“Then you go out with her, then. At least I know I can trust you.”

He laughed openly at that, resting his chin in the palm of his hand, his elbow in the countertop. “You’re forgetting the part where I like cocks.”

I blushed, because _damn_. Even with my foul mouth, saying something like that in a small place like this wasn’t exactly the smartest idea.

I was grateful that the customer who came in at that moment didn’t hear him. As payback for leaving me during his break and the bathroom break he took, I turned my back to the entrance to make it clear that I wasn’t taking the next order. He took the hint and got to work, shooting me a smirk when he caught my eye.

I’d never get over what a great friend Sosuke was.

At some point, Sei went back to the kitchen and Sosuke and I cut the chatter to actually work. Occasionally, I would glance over to Haru’s table, only to find him staring at his textbook or scribbling something down, no doubt studying. Makoto was doing the same, though I was a little bit surprised to find him wearing glasses. My first thought was that they suited him perfectly and that I was really happy for Sei for scoring someone like Makoto.

My glances turned into looks of extreme longing after a while, and I guess Sosuke picked up on them because the next thing I knew, I was being told to go away.

“You’re no help just standing there and staring,” Sosuke said, shooing me away and taking my apron. “Just go on your break. I’ve got this covered.”

Well, I did cover for him during his nap, so I didn’t really have to think about it much before I was rushing over to Haru’s table, thanking Sosuke before I left.

I pulled out a chair next to my boyfriend ( _boyfriend._ That term still gave me chills, in the best way possible). Their attention caught, the two looked up from their books, offering me a smile.

“Hey, mind if I join you?” I asked, sitting down.

“Not at all, Rin,” Makoto responded. “We’re just doing a little studying. The dorm room fell a bit suffocating sometimes, and the library’s packed these days.”

“I bet. Don’t mind me; I’m just gonna sit with you guys for a bit.”

I felt something on my thigh, and looking down, I found that it was Haru’s hand. He slowly slid it down until he found my own hand, lacing our fingers together and making the butterflies in my stomach go wild again. He didn’t even look away from what he was reading in his textbook, content to just feel my warmth. I squeezed his hand in response, scooting my chair over just a little bit so that we were next to each other, our sides touching. I gave him a kiss on the side of his head, and his only reaction was a twitch of his lips, before he bit his lower lip to keep in a smile.

I noticed Makoto staring at us, smiling widely like _he_ was the happiest guy at the table, watching his best friend cuddled close to me. I decided right there and then that Makoto was friend to never let go of.

I spent the half hour of my break sitting silently and holding hands with Haru, just watching as they studied what looked like Japanese History together. I sipped on the coffee I’d brought with me, sharing it with Haru since his own was finished and he probably needed the energy more than me. He didn’t let go of my hand once, holding it with his left and taking notes with his right focused intently on the words in front of him.

I found myself mesmerized by both of them, studying together like they had done a thousand times before, no doubt. It was fascinating, how little they used words to communicate. Makoto would say something, and Haru would only offer a nod in response, but it seemed to be enough for him. Haru would sometimes look over something on the page, pointing it out to Makoto, who seemed to understand without even having to ask. It was amazing, like they had some kind of mental connection that allowed them to communicate silently. I’ll admit I was a little bit jealous that Haru was that kind of level with Makoto, but mostly I was just glad he had a friend like that. After being left alone so much by his parents, he deserved a friend who knew him like Makoto did.

That didn’t mean I wouldn’t try to reach that level too, though. I wanted to be the one who knew Haru the best.

The comfortable thirty minutes in their company flashed by in an instant, and I was reluctant to get up even though I knew I had to get back to my shift. Eventually though, I leaned over to whisper in Haru’s ear.

“I have to get back to work. Talk to me before you leave, okay? I want to say goodbye.”

He nodded, lifting his head and catching my eye. He seemed to be trying to decide something, so I took a chance at guessing what it was and leaned forward to kiss him.

He relaxed when our lips touched, kissing back after a second. The hand that wasn’t holding mine gently touched my cheek, fingertips brushing over my skin and sending shivers down my spine. Knowing it wasn’t good to kiss for too long out in the open like this, I gave his lips a teasing lick with my piercings before pulling back. I stood, letting go of his hand and taking both our cups to throw away.

I heard Makoto giggling, and Haru had his head determinedly faced away from him, obviously embarrassed by the PDA.

“See you later, Rin,” Makoto said, and I waved at them both before finally dragging myself away from their table and over to the trash cans to throw away the cups. I sighed happily when I took my place behind the counter again, finding it hard to believe that just a little over a day ago, I was pining after the guy who I’d just been kissing.

I didn’t bother wondering whether Sosuke saw us kiss or not, resolutely deciding that it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to stop being affectionate with Haru just because I’d turned down Sosuke, and I had a feeling he wouldn’t want me to. No sense dwelling on what was over and done with.

So when Haru came over an hour later to bid me farewell until tomorrow, I happily pecked his lips, not caring at all if the entire cafe was watching me kiss the man who made my heart beat wildly in my chest.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached 300 kudos!! Thanks to everyone who reads this, it means the world to me. I  
> The beautiful artwork is, once again, done by the wonderful tumblr user fluffyzor. (look at the Sharkbait Cafe logo on the coffee cup, LOOK AT IT)  
> 


	16. Say "I Love You"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys all decide to spend the day at the amusement park: Fluff ensues.

_Bzzt… Bzzt… Bzzt… Bzzt_

The sound of my phone vibrating loudly on the coffee table was really not mixing well with the music that I was blasting. It was also annoying as fuck, though it made me wonder who it was that kept texting me, given that my phone was blowing up with messages nonstop. Finally deciding that the buzzing was too annoying to ignore, I put down the duster I had been using to tidy up and walked over to the table, snatching up my phone.

I was surprised to find that there were a couple of people texting not only me, but each other. Unlocking my phone and going to my messages, I saw that Nagisa had started up a group chat, including me and all of the other guys.

**Nagisa:** _Guuuys!!! We should all hang out 2day!_

**Rei:** _Nagisa-kun, if this like that time you dragged us to the zoo and attempted to kidnap a penguin, then I must respectfully decline._

**Nagisa:** _:( That was ONE time! Nd why r u txting me that??? Im sitting right next 2 u_

**Haru:** _Nagisa, please work on your spelling._

I cracked a smile at that; of course Haru would only be worried about that.

**Nagisa:** _u know i dont usually type like this! i can be good at it when i want_

**Makoto:** _Back to the first subject: I actually think all of us going out together will be fun!_

 **Nagisa:** _Mako-chan’s just earned sum brownie points!!!_

 **Sosuke:** _Why the fuck are you guys up so early on a sunday and blowing up my phone_

 **Nagisa:** _its 11:00! dont be a party pooper so-chan!_

 **Me:** _He’s got a point, Sosuke._

 **Sosuke:** _Only you would  be up cleaning on a sunday, Rin_

Well, he had a point there. Damn him for knowing me so well.

 **Sei:** _You’re all horrible for waking me up. I was up all night studying. I hate u all_

 **Sei:** _Except you, Makoto baby <3 <3 <3_

 **Makoto** : _Haha, I love you too <3_

 **Nagisa:** _Ewwwww but at the same time awwwww_

I rolled my eyes, deciding I needed to get them back on  track. I sat down, knowing this was going to take me a few minutes.

**Me:** _Keep on track, guys. Nagisa was saying something about hanging out._

**Nagisa** : _oh riiight! neway so theres this super cool amusement park i found and you can buy tickets to go on rides and its super fun n we should all go!!!!!_

 **Sei:** _Sorry man, can’t go. Finals are way too close and I need to study. Which all of you should be doing, btw_

 **Me** : _Hey_

 **Sei:** _Except you, bitchbaby_

 **Me:** _wtf I told you not to call me that!_

 **Nagisa:** _ooooh whats that all about????_

 **Makoto:** _Um, I think Sei has a point. Finals are super close and we don’t wanna fail._

Thank God for Makoto and steering the conversation back on track. I didn’t need Nagisa using that nickname too.

 **Nagisa** : _not u 2 mako-chan!!_

**Rei:** _I agree with the senpais; we should be studying._

**Nagisa:** _UR ALL CRUEL_

**Momo:** _oooooh I wanna goooo!_

**Nagisa:** _YAAAAAAY!!!_

**Ai:** _It does sound like fun. I’m sure we could all use a break from studying._

With the whole gang involved in the conversation now, my phone was buzzing constantly in my hands; it was like I had my own mini massager.

 **Sei:** _I don’t know. But I guess it couldn’t hurt too much._

 **Nagisa** : _YEEEEEESSSSS!!!! cum on guys!_

 **Sosuke:** _Never spell it that way again_

**Makoto:** _I’m up for it!_

**Me:** _Only because the Captain’s going too._

 **Haru:** _I’ll go if we can have mackerel._

 **Me:** _Done. I’ll buy you the best mackerel, babe._

 **Sosuke:** _you’re all unbelievable. I guess there’s no point in sleeping anymore_

 **Nagisa** : _thats the spirit! and rei-chan says he’ll go too. his mouth’s kinda busy at the moment ;)_

 **Me:** _Fucking gross, Nagisa. No one wants to know_

 **Haru** : _Don’t swear, Rin._

 **Me:** _Sorry_

 **Momo** : _So everyone up for it?? It’ll be sooo much fun!!!!_

 **Ai:** _I agree._

 **Sosuke:** _I never even said I was going_

 **Nagisa:** _well too bad so-chan cuz ur definitely goin!!!!!!_

 **Sei:** _Guess that’s settled then. Nagisa, send us the address and we’ll all meet in… 2 hours?_

We all agreed, and there was a lull in the conversation where we waited for Nagisa to send us the address. It took him a while, and I desperately tried not to think of what could be keeping him, especially since we hadn’t gotten a text from Rei in a while. Gross.

Eventually, he sent the details and we decided to meet a block away from the amusement park and then walk over together. Sosuke was still cursing us for waking him up, Sei was complaining that he was tired but he’d energize himself by being with Makoto, and Haru just made sure that he’d get mackerel. We finally decided that we should get ready and my phone finally stopped vibrating.

With my plans to clean now out the window, I put away the duster and and moved to turn off the music. I paused to enjoy one more verse of Carry on My Wayward Son before plunging my apartment in silence and making my way to my room. I knew I had to dress warm, given that it had been snowing a lot lately. That didn’t mean I couldn’t look good, though. I’d rather freeze my ass off in skin tight jeans, but know that my ass still looked good. So I slipped on a pair of black jeans, pulling on a black band tee before rummaging through my closet for a hoodie. I settled on a deep crimson one that I knew would keep me warm,, zipping it up all the way and liking how it went with my eyes.

I _thought_ about wearing my scarf, but decided that it wouldn’t go with the look. Instead, I just pulled on my black beanie and laid my gloves out so I could slip them on before I left the house. I still had about an 45 minutes before I had to leave, so I flopped down on my couch and picked up my phone again, seeing a text from Gou.

_**From: Gou** _

_Heard you and the buys are going to the amusement park! Have fun! I’ll be hanging out with my friend today and do some Christmas shopping._

Damn, I forgot all about Christmas shopping.

_**To: Gou** _

_You have fun, too. btw, I guess I should tell you. Haru and I are together now_

Her reply came within seconds, and I could practically hear her yelling.

_**From: Gou** _

_ASDFHSFSLJKADJSFH!!!!! OMG ONI-CHAN WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN???? WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME SOONER??? I WANT ALL THE DETAILS!!!!_

I laughed out loud, knowing she’d pout when I told her it was a week ago.

**_To: Gou_ **

_I’ll tell you some other time. I have to go soon. But He’s coming to our house for Christmas._

**_From: Gou_ **

_That's great!!! But did you tell mom yet? You better let her know we'll be having a guest!_

She was right, I supposed.

**_To: Gou_ **

_I'll tell her now, don't worry_

She expressed her joy once again, and then told me to hurry up and call Mom before I forgot, and I assured her I would. I made sure I had enough time for a quick conversation before mentally preparing myself for the question I would no doubt be asked.

Knowing I shouldn't put it off any longer, I dialed Mom's number.

She picked up after the third ring, her voice instantly relaxing me.

"Rin?" He asked.

"Hey, Mom," I said.

"Hey yourself. Do you know how long it's been since you last called me?"

I groaned, knowing full well I wasn't calling her as often as she'd like.

"I was busy with work," I tried to explain.

"I didn't know you had work on Sundays, too. And if I remember right, you get off early on Tuesdays." Damn her memory.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll call you more, I promise."

"Good. Now what are you up to today?"

"Oh, well the guys and I are going to an amusement park soon," I said, checking the time again. I had to wrap this up quickly if I wanted to make it on time. "Listen, Mom, I actually called for a reason."

I heard her let out an exasperated sigh, and I could just picture her rolling her eyes. "Of course. Because calling your mother just say hi isn't reason enough." Her voice was heavy with sarcasm, and I felt a little guilty.

"I _promise_ I'll call you more often; you have my word."

"Good, now what were you saying?"

"Uh, well I wanted you to know that I'm bringing someone over for Christmas. He'll be staying with us for a while... If that's okay, I mean." I didn’t dwell on the fact that I’d invited Haru over without even checking in with Mom beforehand. I kind of already knew her answer.

“Of course it’s okay! Please tell me he’s your boyfriend, Rin. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to get a boyfriend? Don’t let me down now.” She sounded excited, and I mentally sighed at the enthusiasm of my family’s interest in my love life.

“Yeah, he’s my boyfriend,” I confirmed, hearing her gleeful squeal on the other end. I had no idea she could make that sound. “His name’s Haru.”

“What is he like? How does he look? Is he going to university?” She shot out questions one after another and I knew I’d be here for hours if I tried to answer them all.

“Just interrogate Gou,” I suggested. “She’s known him longer than I have. Plus, I really have to go now so I can meet up with the guys. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“Fine, fine. Be safe, and call me more often. Kids these days are so ungrateful to their parents.”

“I will, Mom. Bye now.”

“Bye, Rin. I love you.”

Returning the sentiment, I ended the call, checking the time again. I had just enough time to make it, so I hopped to my feet and put on my gloves. I made sure I had my keys and then left the apartment, going down the stairs and listening to the snow crunching beneath my feet. I put the address of the park in my phone, following the directions and finding that I needed to take the bus most of the way.

On the bus, I curled up near the window, breathing hot air on my hands because it really was fricken cold. Hopefully walking around the park would help warm me up a bit. My stop turned out to be a few blocks away from our meeting spot, so I followed the map on my phone until I could see the roller coasters in the distance, turning the corner to find some of the guys already waiting.

Nagisa was wearing a pink and white jacket that actually fit him pretty well, blue jeans, and a white scarf wrapped around his neck. His gloves were pure white, and he even had a pair of earmuffs on his head. He had his fingers laced with Rei, who wore a black coat with a purple scarf, his glasses fogging up every time he exhaled. With them was Makoto, dressed in a green fur jacket that brought out his eyes. His scarf was a nice emerald color too, and even in the cold he was smiling happily as he talked to Haru. Haru, on the other hand, was as quiet as ever, only listening to what Makoto was saying. It looked like he preferred to hide his nose and mouth behind his blue scarf. At least he was keeping warm in his dark blue jacket, which was over what looked like a lighter blue woolen sweater.

I instantly felt myself grinning, bypassing the others and making my way to Haru. He saw me coming toward him and turned my way, drawing Makoto’s attention too.

“Hi, Rin!” Makoto said cheerfully.

“Rin-chan! At least someone’s finally here. We’ve been waiting forever!” Nagisa bounded over and jumped on my back, effectively stopping me from in my tracks so I wouldn’t fall.

“It’s only been five minutes, Nagisa-kun,” Rei said matter-of-factly. “Also, please refrain from choking Rin-san. It’s definitely not beautiful.”

“Hey, guys,” I said, struggling to get Nagisa off me with the help of Rei. He tightened his arms around my neck, refusing to budge while chattering away, and in the end I had to bite his wrist for him to finally let go.

“Ow! Rin-chan, that was mean!” He whined, holding his wrist, which now had shark-like teeth marks.

“You deserved it,” I retorted, finally going over to Haru. I draped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. “Hey.”

Haru smiled in response. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to being able to kiss him freely, but for the sake of everyone around me, I kept my pecks chaste.

“The others should be here soon,” Makoto said, checking the time on his phone.

“I hope so!” Nagisa exclaimed. “I’m freezing my balls off!” That earned him a disapproving look from Rei and a few stares from people passing by. I tuned them out to focus on Haru, who was pressed up against my side and radiating warmth.

“You cold?” I asked softly. He turned his face up slightly to look at me and shook his head.

“You’re a very good source of warmth,” he said, snaking an arm around my waist, and I buried my nose in his hair so he couldn’t see me grinning. He smelled like the ocean, as always. Not even the frigid wind could take over the warmth that was starting to build inside me from just being near him.

We stood around waiting for another few minutes until we saw the others rounding the corner. Momo, Ai, Sei, and Sosuke were all together, most likely having met up along the way. They were all dressed warm with coats and scarves; Momo was talking animatedly with Ai, who seemed happy enough to let him ramble. Sei instantly lit up when he saw Makoto, coming over and wrapping him in a hug while Makoto laughed. Sosuke looked like the odd one out, visibly irritated while the rest of us were in pairs. Even Momo and Ai seemed to be ignoring him.

“Looks like you managed to get your butt out of bed,” I teased Sosuke, making sure to censor myself for Haru’s benefit.

Sosuke took a second to look over our arms around each other, before responding, “I still hate all of you. It’s fucking freezing. Who goes to an amusement park in December?”

Haru glared at him for swearing, and he glared right back. I rolled my eyes at them; their interactions were actually pretty amusing, but they acted like kids.

“Come on, we’ll go on the biggest roller coasters and I’ll even buy you cotton candy to chase away the grumpy face.” I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing, and he apparently didn’t like my tone because he scowled at me.

Soon enough, Sei took the lead, and the nine of us entered the park along with all the other crazy people who thought it was fun to go during the winter. Near the entrance was a ticket booth where we could buy as many tickets as we wanted, since each ride took a ticket or two. When it was my turn, I bought a ton for Haru and I, not caring when he tried to protest and buy his own tickets.

“I like to think of this as our first date,” I said, handing him his tickets. He laughed softly, smiling at me fondly.

“Oh? I’d have thought that we’ve had dozens of dates already,” he said while I looked at him in confusion. “And though we didn’t know it at the time, our first date was the day we met, when you sat down across from me with a cup of coffee and introduced yourself.”

I grinned as I caught on to what he was saying, and it was pretty true. If we counted all of the times we’ve had coffee together in the cafe and just talked, then we’d already had so many dates.

“Then let’s make this our first _official_ date,” I suggested, pocketing my own tickets. “Where I buy you all the mackerel you want.”

His eyes seemed to gleam at my words, or more specifically at the mention of mackerel.

“Alright,” he agreed. “But on our next official date, I’ll be the one treating you. It’s only fair.”

“Anything you want, babe.”

With that settled, we formed a group with the others, who were deciding what they wanted to see and what rides they wanted to go on. Taking a look around the park, I saw how huge it was. There were giant roller coasters that looked terrifying but exciting, and I knew I’d be dragging Sosuke on them. The kids’ rides were in one area, consisting of attractions like a carousel, spinning teacups, and a mini train that probably went five miles per hour. Food stands were scattered around everywhere, along with games you could play to win  prizes. The ground was covered in white and made everything look beautiful. In the center of the park was a giant ferris wheel, the fancy kind with compartments where you could sit or stand inside and look out through the glass over the entire park. I immediately knew I wanted to be on it with Haru before the day was over, but right then everyone’s attention was drawn to Momo and Nagisa, who were pointing at a roller coaster not too far away from us.

“Let’s go on that!” Momo said excitedly. The coaster was a huge purple one with loops and a long drop, and I itching to ride it just as much as the other two.

“I’m in,” I said, looking at Haru. He nodded too, followed by everyone else.

Well, everyone except Makoto. He stared at the coaster, his face pale and his hand clutching Sei’s in a death grip.

“Y-you guys go on ahead,” he said, looking absolutely terrified. “I’ll just stay down here.”

Haru sent him a concerned look, to which he gave a shaky smile. Then Haru proceeded to glare at everyone, as if just daring them to say anything about Makoto not wanting to go on the ride.

“I’ll stay down here with you,” Sei offered, rubbing Makoto’s arm soothingly.

“I’d quite like to stay as well,” Rei said, looking at the coaster with trepidation.

“Ohhh no you don’t!” Nagisa protested, latching onto his boyfriend’s arm. “We all know Mako-chan’s scared, but that doesn’t mean you get to sit out too!” We all watched with amusement as he dragged Rei to the line.

“You guys go on ahead,” Sei said. “Makoto and I’ll try out hands at some of the games. Maybe I can win something for him.”

Makoto looked grateful for the support, and we all agreed. Haru made eye contact with him one more time, probably asking him telepathically if he was alright, and then the rest of us followed Nagisa and Rei while the other two went in search of some games.

The line was long, but I didn’t complain since I got to hold hands with Haru. Nagisa, Momo, and Ai were trying to judge where the cameras were on the ride, so they could pull the funniest faces during the shots. I talked with Sosuke while we waited, glad that he was starting to loosen up and look forward to the ride.

When our turn finally came, we handed over the required amount of tickets and picked a row of seats. Each row had four seats, so I sat in between Haru and Sosuke, the others taking the row behind us. Some girl sat next to Sosuke, and then an employee made sure we were all buckled in right, the chest guards preventing us from falling.

“Don’t cry, Rin,” Sosuke said, smirking.

I stuck my tongue out at him, punching his arm lightly. “Same goes for you.”

Haru was quiet, but the sparkle in his eye told me that he was excited too. Once everyone was seated and buckled in, the ride started. It started out slowly, inching along upwards in ascent. We were up high when the peak came into view, and it was like everyone held their breath as we waited for the drop.

When it came, there were screams from the other passengers and I could hear Nagisa yelling “Whoohooo!!!!” The ride was fast and thrilling, and over the rushing of the wind in my ears, I could make out the sounds of Rei and Ai screaming, which mixed in with everyone else’s yells.

Overall, the roller coaster was amazing, and soon enough it came to end. We exited on shaky legs; Rei looked sick and Ai’s hair was a mess. We all looked around for Sei and Makoto, spotting them not too far away at a game stand. Sei was concentrating on shooting a target, and Makoto was laughing next to him. They seemed to be having fun, off in their own little world, so we decided to just let them be. I shot off a text to Sei, telling him to just enjoy themselves while we went on some more rides. They deserved to have some fun alone; we could always meet up later.

And so the seven of us went in search of more coasters to ride, going on the biggest ones we could find. After a few, Rei finally threw up, the poor guy. Ai was getting bolder and bolder after each one, suggesting other coasters which Momo readily agreed with.

It was great, watching everyone have fun together. By now, the cold was forgotten and we just enjoyed ourselves, making jokes and teasing each other. Sosuke was starting to tolerate Haru more, and though Haru was as quiet as ever, I could tell he was having fun too.

On Rei’s insistence (“We’ve gone on enough death machines for one day! Let’s do something that won’t get us killed, please.”), we decided to do something a little more tame, and the younger guys were quick to jump on the suggestion of the spinning teacups. Rei obviously thought they wouldn’t be so scary,but apparently he was underestimating his own boyfriend. Haru, Sosuke, and I sat on the sidelines, watching the other three spin the teacup around with blinding speed while Rei held on for dear life. Needless to say, he ended up puking again.

For the most part, I tried my best not to make Sosuke feel like a seventh wheel. Momo and Ai were a pair by themselves, a lot like how Sosuke and I used to be before I got together with Haru. So I made sure he didn’t feel left out while at the same time giving Haru a lot of my attention. It actually wasn’t too hard, especially when Haru and Sosuke would bicker mindlessly about the littlest things.

A dozen rides and lots of laughter later, we finally met back up with Sei and Makoto, the latter holding a stuffed Orca almost as big as him.

“I won it for him,” Sei said proudly, pecking Makoto on the cheek. “The ring game is by far my best. It was-” He was cut off by a snowball slamming straight into his face, followed by Momo and Nagisa’s obnoxious laughter.

“I got you, Nii-san!” Momo yelled with glee. He had another snowball ready to throw, but it fell the ground when Sei launched himself at his brother and grabbed him in a headlock.

“Momo, you little shit!” He growled, though he was smiling. “You’re gonna pay for that! That shit was cold!”

“Mercy! Mercy!” Momo shouted, trying to pull away while laughing.

“Snowball fight!” Nagisa declared, promptly throwing one at Makoto and making him trip over his own feet. I exchanged a look with Haru, knowing he was thinking of the same memory, then shrugged and bent down to scoop up some snow.

The fight began in earnest, and snowballs were flying everywhere. Sometimes there were too many to dodge, and I swear Sosuke was out to get me when I told him he threw worse than the old guy who lived next door to me. I had Haru to back me up, though, and then it became a full on war between my best friend and my boyfriend. Makoto was trying to defend himself and attack at the same time, all the while holding onto the stuffed whale. Haru and I decided he needed help, and formed a two-man guard around him, protecting him from any attackers.

Halfway through our fight, we had to relocate to a more deserted area after we accidentally hit an older woman with  a stray snowball (Makoto and Rei apologized profusely while Momo and Nagisa complained about having to halt the fight). When we found a better location, the fight picked right back up, and this time we had teams. It was five against four, the Sharkbait crew versus Haru’s gang, though I decided to help out Haru. The word “traitor” was followed by snowball after snowball thrown at me, but it was worth it.

Everyone was breathless and pink in the face soon enough, and we only stopped when were too tired to move and our stomachs were growling. We sat on benches to catch our breaths, debating on who won the match.

“It was so us!” Momo argued. “You guys had advantage with an extra player!”

“Yeah, but Mako-chan was handicapped, so it was even!” Nagisa argued.

I looked over to Haru, who was panting beside me, and flashed him a grin.

“This reminds me of last week,” I said, eyes flickering to his pink lips. “We had so much fun then, too.”

“It may have been fun for us, but Bob would most likely disagree,” Haru said, returning a smile of his own.

“Oh yeah, poor Bob. He was only alive for 20 minutes,” I laughed, earning a confused look from Sosuke.

Makoto chuckled too, hugging his orca close.”Don’t worry about Bob, Rin. Haru and I gave him a proper burial in the snow. We even picked out a nice rock for his headstone.”

That made me laugh even harder, imagining the two of them setting down a stone and saying a few words for a snowman. At this point, I’m pretty sure Sosuke just dismissed us all for being crazy, because he just rolled his eyes and looked away.

“I’m starving,” Sei said, checking the time. It was starting to get dark out, and the lights in the park were coming on. “Who’s up for grabbing some food?”

We were all starving, so we didn’t waste time when we agreed, getting up to go search for something to eat. Everything looked so good: there were hot dogs, octopus balls, candied apples, corn, and about a million other things. I knew what I had to find, though, so I led Haru around for a while until I came upon a stall that sold mackerel on a stick. I got some beef for myself, but made sure to get two sticks of mackerel for Haru, who seemed to be salivating just by looking at the fish.

“Here you go, babe,” I said, handing him his food.

“Thanks,” he said softly, taking my hand and leading me back to where the others were sitting and already devouring their food. We talked while we ate, sitting close together to keep warm. I finished my food in record time, patiently waiting for Haru to be done with his. We’d all hung out as a group, so I figured it was time to get some alone time with Haru and make this a proper date.

When he cleaned off the last piece of fish and threw his trash away, I nudged him and and motioned in the direction away from the others. “Let’s go try some games,” I suggested, glad when he seemed to catch on and nodded.

I looked back as we walked away, catching Sei’s eye and nodding to him. He got the message and gave me a thumbs up, and I turned forward again and wrapped my arm around Haru’s shoulders.

“Sei thinks he’s so great because he won Makoto something. I’ll show him. Come on, Haru, I need to win you something even better.”

He followed me over to a stand with darts, and I listened to the man in charge of it explain that I had to get at least one bulls-eye to win a prize. After paying, I was handed five darts. As Haru watched, I concentrated on the targets in front of me. It couldn't be that hard, right?

Five failed bulls-eyes later, I was dragging Haru to another game booth.

"I'll win this one for sure!" I said, eyeing the game.

"Whatever you say, Rin."

The goal was to aim a water gun at a small target, and keep it trained on it until the little ball rose high enough to ring the bell. I was confident in this one, so I paid and got a water gun, aiming it at the target.

I was actually better at it than I thought; I managed to not move at all and hit the target on the first try, and before I knew it, the bell rung and I was a winner.

"Yes!" I pumped my fist in the air in victory. "Okay, Haru, choose a prize."

He looked over the various prizes, and I was pretty sure I already knew what he was going to get. The prizes consisted of stuffed animals, a lot like the one Sei had won Makoto. There were dolphins, sharks, birds, penguins, and a few other animals.

"The shark," Haru decided, making me raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"You don't want the dolphin?" I asked, as the worker got a stuffed shark down and handed it to Haru.

He shook his head, tracing his fingers over the shark's head. "You won it for me, so it's only fitting to choose something that reminds me of you."

If it was possible to love him any more than I did already, then that statement did it. I leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips, conveying my feelings.

"Let's try a couple more, yeah?" I took his hand in mine and we went around to the different stalls, spending our money on games that were actually kind of unfair. It didn't matter, though, because it was nice just to spend time with Haru, and our competitiveness made everything more intense.

Every now and then I would steal kisses, but I kept them chaste. That didn't stop us from getting disgusted looks, but we ignored those assholes. As far as we were concerned, the world only consisted of the two of us.

At one point I caught a glance of Sosuke playing some basketball game against Sei while Makoto watched. Rei and Nagisa were probably somewhere else, but I managed to see Momo pulling Ai along. Ai's face was bright red; looks like the cold was finally getting to him.

Looking around, my eyes fell on a small booth that instantly made me grab Haru's hand. He looked at me in confusion, and I pointed to the booth.

"Photo booth," I explained. "We have to go in there

He followed along without a word, one hand clasped in mine and the other holding onto his shark. The booth itself was narrow, as we found out when we entered behind the curtain. We sat side by side on the bench, crammed together and not exactly comfortable. Apparently the booth hadn't been made to seat two grown guys. I put my arm over Haru's shoulder, allowing him to scoot closer to me. His arm went behind my back, and then I leaned forward to give the machine money, settling back in place a moment later.

The ticking began and I pulled off my beanie, fixing my hair as fast as I could.

"I've never done this before," Haru said, looking straight at the camera.

"Neither have I, but it'll be fun. Now get ready!"

As soon as I said that and put a smile on my face, the first click was heard. There were a few seconds between each photo that was taken, and I took full advantage of that. The first two pictures were normal, where we looked at the camera with smiles, though I had to tickle Haru gently to get him to crack one. After that, I quickly kissed his cheek, hearing the click and knowing it would be a good photo. That earned me a look from Haru, and I surged forward to capture his lips, knowing that one would show his eyes open and shocked. He relaxed quickly enough and closed his eyes, letting me lick into his mouth and rub my piercing against his tongue. We kept kissing long after the clicking had stopped, and the only reason I pulled away was so that we could breathe.

We stayed in that position for a while longer, catching our breaths. Haru's deep blue eyes were locked on mine, and I felt like I could melt under their intensity.

We were drawn back to reality when there was an impatient knocking outside the booth, and we both looked up at the irritated "Hurry up!" We exchanged one more look and I grabbed the photos that machine deposited, exiting the booth with Haru close on my heels.

The couple standing outside looked shocked to see us come out, not doubt expecting a "normal" couple. I flashed them a grin and took Haru's hand, walking away nonchalantly.

"How did they turn out?" Haru asked, once we were a good distance away from the booth. I stopped and looked at the photos properly for the first time.

In a word, they were perfect. We had pictures of us sitting properly ne t to each other, smiling and looking happy. Then there was the one where I kissed his cheek, and then after that it became a passionate make out session. The last one in particular was interesting: Haru was gripping my hoodie tightly, a light blush staining his cheeks while I held him close with my tongue practically down his throat.

"I need to frame that last one," I said, earning a playful shove from Haru.

“I don't think that's decent."

I laughed and tucked the pictures into my wallet, giving Haru a few to keep. After that we mostly just wandered around the park together. I was tired so many hours of rides, games, and getting hit with snow. But I wasn't ready to leave just yet, knowing there was one last thing I wanted to go on before the night was over.

Somehow, everyone managed to gravitate toward the ferris wheel at the same time. Everyone was at the end of the line when we arrived,  so we joined them, standing huddled together

"You guys made it!" Makoto said, beaming.

"We were just about to text you," Sei added.

"If I may interrupt," Rei said, pushing up his glasses. "In what order are going to go on the ferris wheel? I'm sure some of us want to go in pairs of two."

I knew I wanted to do that, and I was sure the others wanted to go on with their respective boyfriends.

"S-Sosuke-senpai can go on with me and Momo," Ai stuttered, taking a small step away from Momo to put some distance between them, cheeks pink.

"Yeah, fine," Sosuke agreed. "You all can go make out in your own cars. No one wants to see that."

Sei laughed loudly, slapping him on the back and ruffling his hair. "That's settled then!"

The line crawled forward slowly, but it was worth the wait when we finally got to go on. Haru and I picked a car for ourselves, the glass door closing and locking behind us. The wheel moved so next car was level with the ground, and we kept gaining altitude like that.

"Rin, look," Haru said, beckoning me over. I went over to where he stood looking out of the glass, my breath catching in my throat when I surveyed the scene.

We were almost all the way up now, looking out over the entire park. It was beautiful, to say the least. The lights were on throughout the park, the rides lit up and snow covered ground a pure white contrast to the dark sky.

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

"I'll have to write about this as soon as I get back to dorms," Haru said, his voice filled with awe.

The ferris wheel began moving again, and once our car was on the ground again, the ride started for real.

For the most part, Haru and I just stared out of the window in silence. Somewhere along the way, I'd taken to staring at Haru instead, and I felt like that was an even better view. The lights from outside made his face glow and his eyes shine, and I found myself smiling. Maybe he felt my gaze on him because a moment later he looked back me with a puzzled expression.

"You're beautiful," I said. He blushed but kept a straight face, and I blushed hotly too, not having intended that to actually come out. "I mean, uh-"

"It's alright, Rin," he said gently, stepping closer and  brushing the back of his knuckles against my cheek. "You're quite beautiful yourself."

And damn if those few words didn't take my breath away. I felt him pull my beanie off my head and run his fingers through my hair. I'm sure if I was a cat, I'd be purring with contentment by now.

I happily let him continue, resting my forehead against his and closing my eyes. It was a blissful moment, standing there with him while ferris wheel made its cycles. His warmth was something I craved, his touch making my heart race. I loved him, as irrational as it may be to fall in love so soon.

And I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to know just how much he meant to me.

"Haru," I said, pulling away slightly, but keeping my hands on his waist.

"Hmm?" He questioned, looking up at me.

I swallowed, nervous but determined. If I wanted this to be a long term thing, then I needed to him to know how much I cared about him.

"I know it's hasn't been too long since we met..." I started, shifting in place nervously. "But... You mean a lot to me. I mean, you're amazing, Haru. Smart and determined and with a goal that you desperately want to achieve. I love our tutoring sessions together. I love it when you smile, because I think that's a pretty rare thing. I even love it when you scold me for swearing; it's cute. And I just.. I wanted to tell you that I..." God, why was it so hard to say three little words? The way he looked at me tolde he already knew what I was going to say, but he wasn't pressuring me to spit it out. Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and looked straight into his eyes. "I love you."

If I thought his eyes were bright earlier, it was no comparison to the way they lit up when I said that. His lips split into the widest smile I'd ever seen, his cheeks pink. I had a feeling he wanted to hide his face away so I wouldn't see, but he adamantly kept his gaze locked on mine.

"Rin..." He breathed, his hands coming down to cup my cheeks. "It doesn't matter how long ago we met. The feelings are there, and that's what counts. I love you, too, Rin."

When he kissed me then, I felt like my life was complete and I could die happy. His lips were soft and gentle against mine, slightly chapped from the wind but perfect nonetheless. We kissed slowly, savoring the feel of one another. Our bodies were pressed together, hands holding each other close.

The kiss grew more heated and it was like I couldn't get enough. Pulling away, I dragged Haru over to the seats and sat down, pulling him onto my lap. He was surprised, but recovered quickly, straddling my thighs and wrapping his arms around my neck. My hands found his hips, and a second later our lips were locked again. I felt his tongue slid against my lower lip, and it was followed by a nip, sending a spark of pain and pleasure straight down my spine. I opened my mouth for him, letting his tongue delve in and explore.

"Mm..." I couldn't help but let out a low moan when he pressed even closer, his groin coming into contact with mine and  making me ache for more. His fingers tangled in my hair, and I took a moment to just suck on his tongue. My fingers breached the bottom of his sweater, but I couldn't feel much through my gloves.

At that point I was ready to start grinding against him just to feel more, but the ride came to a stop and the door was opening before we knew it. An employee stuck her head in to announce that we had to get out, but stopped short when she saw Haru on top of me and our arms around each other.

Blushing, I nudged Haru off on me, and he reluctantly stood, grumbling. It was uncomfortable to walk while sporting a semi, but I managed it, putting my beanie back on after smoothing down my hair. The lady couldn't stop staring at us when we exited, blushing furiously.

The others were already waiting for us, Nagisa whooping when we joined up.

"That was sooo awesome!" He exclaimed.

"It was quite beautiful," Rei added, and everyone seemed to agree.

"I think that was a great way to end the day," Sei announced. "I think it's time we all headed home."

That earned some complaints from Momo and Nagisa, but we grabbed them by the scruff of the neck.

"I have to say, I couldn't have asked for a better day off," Ai commented as left the park.

We all walked in silence, the wind biting into our exposed flesh. Together, we made it to the bus stop and climbed inside, exhausted but happy. I rested my head against Haru's shoulder, relaxing until the bus stopped and we had to get off. This was where we'd split up, my crew going their separate ways to their homes and Haru's gang going back to campus.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said to Haru, kissing the top of his head. He nodded, responding by kissing my cheek.

"Byyyyye guuuuys!!" Nagisa yelled, skipping ahead and waving at us.

"Seeee yaaaa!" Momo yelled back, receiving a few looks from people.

We all said our goodbyes and walked out separate ways, Sosuke and I together for a while since we lived close.

"Have fun today?" I asked.

He looked at me for a moment, and I tried not to read into it too much.

"Yeah," he concluded, putting his hands in his pocket. "I guess it was worth it to get out of bed."

I grinned, pleased with that answer.

"That's what I like to hear."

And then we made our way home, reflecting on a day that turned out to be a lot more fun than expected.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry for the late update! Life's crazy. If anyone is wondering why they call Rin Bitchbaby, check out Octopimp's 50% Off on youtube, because I doubt it'll ever be explained in the story.  
> As always, thanks for the comments and kudos, I love you guys!!!


	17. Take a Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin plays Cupid and pick up lines are the way to go.

I was still feeling high on happiness when I came into work on Tuesday morning, even if I had to wake up at the asscrack of dawn. The day before, Haru and I had exchanged words of love before he left the cafe, whispered into each other’s ears, away from prying ears. It was like a little piece of heaven in my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

As I was wiping down the counter and randomly spouting out vocabulary words Sosuke needed to know for his exams, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

“One sec, Sosuke,” I said, holding up a finger after he gave me a definition. He rolled his eyes but paused, letting me take out my phone. I smiled when I saw that Haru had texted me.

_**From: Haru <3** _

_Sorry, Rin. I won’t be coming into the cafe much this week. Final exams are next week and I’m going to spend my time in the library, studying._

My smile dropped and was replaced by a frown (it wasn’t a pout, no matter what anyone said). I quickly typed out a reply.

_**To: Haru <3** _

_:( I’ll get to see you sometime this week, right? I know your studying is important, but I really need to see you sometime this week._

His reply came a minute later, which I spent just staring at my phone and ignoring the world around me.

_I’ll definitely try. Talk to you soon, Rin._

“What was that all about?” Sosuke asked once I put my phone away.

I sighed, suddenly not so happy anymore. I’d have to go almost a week without seeing Haru’s gorgeous face. Talk about cruel.

“Haru says he’s gonna spend the week studying and won’t be able to come in much,” I explained, picking up the rag again. He smirked while I started wiping again.

“Finally, some peace,” he mumbled, earning a scowl from me.

“Shut up. At least I can distract myself a little when we go to the gym today.”

“So I’m just a distraction now, am I?”

“You know what I mean, Sosuke.”

He playfully shoved my shoulder, to which I smacked him with the rag. It was nice to hear him laugh, glad that my friend wasn’t so bummed anymore. I got back to helping him study, occasionally looking over at the reference paper he gave me.

"Are you ready for your finals next week?" I asked a while later.

He sighed, stretching his arms and leaning against the counter. "Yeah, I think so. Lucky for you, we all have less hours of work next week."

"Lucky for all of us, I think," I corrected.

My hours would still be more than the others, but I wasn't complaining. At least I didn't have to deal with any of the stress of testing.

Sosuke didn't get to respond because at that moment, the kitchen door burst open and out ran Momo with a manic grin on his face.

"Momo! Get back here!" Ai yelled, storming out of the kitchen. He was covered in flour, his red and black apron more white than anything else. His jeans were stained with it too, and the flour stuck to his face, staining his cheeks and forehead.

"I said I was sorry!" Momo said, running out of reach. His laughter made it clear that he wasn't very sorry at all.

Thankfully, the cafe was mostly empty, only a few of our regulars watching on with amusement. Sosuke and I exchanged a glance, shrugging before turning our attention to the other two. Momo was dodging between tables, looking like he was having a blast. Ai was glaring something fierce, cheeks pink underneath the flour.

"Sorry won't cut it after you dumped all that flour on me!" He scolded, trying to grab at Momo. "Not only did you get it all over my clothes and face, you wasted it too! That could have made an entire cake!"

"Ai, you hang around Nii-san too much!" Momo moved out of reach right when Ai went to grab the front of his shirt. I wondered briefly why Sei hadn't yelled at them yet for goofing off and making so much noise. Then I remembered how dead he’d looked this morning with his bloodshot eyes and messy hair that looked like he hadn’t even bothered to try and tame it. He was probably asleep on his feet.

“And you’re just - you’re just so immature!” Ai finally managed to grab Momo by the scruff of the neck, dragging Momo behind him as he made his way back to the kitchen.

“Senpaiiii! Heeeelp!” Momo whined, though he wasn’t putting up much of a fight. Ai managed to pull him back into the kitchen, the door closing and plunging the rest of the cafe into silence again.

“Looks like the stress is getting to them too,” Sosuke commented, staring at the door.

I agreed, and then we got back to work as if nothing had happened.

The day dragged on slowly, the absence of Haru even more pronounced since I didn’t bother taking my break. When 6:00 rolled around, I was ready to get the hell out of there and blow off some steam at the gym.

“Grab your bag and let’s blow this shit stand,” I said, slinging the gym bag that I’d brought with me over my shoulder.

“Oi, I heard that you bastard,” Sei said, trying to make his crimson hair into its regular style.

“Sorry,” I muttered, motioning to Sosuke that we should leave.

He got his bag and the two of us walked out of the cafe together, making our way to the gym.

“Only you would treat a visit to the gym as a trip to a bar,” Sosuke said when I told him I needed to relax after not seeing Haru all day.

“Alcohol does crap to your body that I don’t need,” I retorted. “The gym helps keep my body toned and sexy. There’s only one choice here,”

We reached the gym while he laughed, and I held the door open for him to pass first. The smell of sweat and equipment was like home, and I instantly made my way over to our usual spot and put my bag down. Sosuke joined me, and we both  stripped off our shirts and replaced them with tank tops that showed off our muscles and let us move more easily.

“I think I want a go at the punching bags this time,” I said, slipping my hands into the gloves after stretching.

“We’ll take turns, then. You can go first.”

With that settled, I took a deep breath and took my stance and faced the bag, Sosuke going behind it to brace it.

“Ready?” I asked. He nodded once and I got right down to it.

Punching the crap out of that bag was like letting go of all my tension, every collision with my fist sharpening my focus. I threw punch after punch, letting my knuckles collide with the leather and feeling the satisfaction seep through my bones.

After fifteen minutes of nonstop punching, I was out of breath and had to stop, finally letting Sosuke take a break too.

“Who were you imagining when you were punching?” Sosuke asked while I drained my water bottle. “Because you were beating the shit out of it like there was no tomorrow.”

I frowned, thinking before I answered. “I wasn’t really thinking about anyone. Though if I had to, I’d think about Nagisa, because he smacked my ass yesterday and only Haru gets to do that.”

“I’m sure your ass isn’t the only one Nagisa’s smacked. Anyway, it’s my turn.”

I hopped to my feet, trading places with Sosuke so I could brace the punching bag for him. Once we were ready, he hit the bag with all he had. His muscles flexed and bulged, sweat starting to form on his forehead and chest, making this tank top stick to his chest much like mine.

We were both in the zone and focused, until we heard the hitch of a breath and a murmured, “Hot damn.”

We both paused, Sosuke’s fist halfway through the air, and looked over. What we saw was a tall guy - about my height - with jet black hair that fell gracefully into his eyes. He was lean but slim, his physique not overly muscular. He had a nice, straight nose, and was dressed in gray sweatpants and a muscle tee with the words Sasabe’s 24-Hour Fitness stitched on the front and a silver chain gleaming around his neck. He was carrying a stack of towels and stared at Sosuke with intense honey-amber eyes.

He looked over Sosuke’s body before meeting his eyes.

The guy raised a brow and smirked. “Is it hot in here, or is it just you?”

It was dead silent, aside from the other people working out around us. Sosuke and I could only gape at the guy, exchanging a disbelieving glance. And then I burst out laughing.

Sosuke looked bewildered, but I just found the thought of this guy flirting so shamelessly with him to be hilarious. Tears were forming in my eyes by the time Sosuke smacked me on the back of my head, a scowl on his face.

I grinned, trying to calm myself down and looking over to the guy, who was watching us with raised brows. I nudged Sosuke, motioning over to the guy and pushing him a little closer. Sosuke shot me a death glare, before sighing and facing forward.

“Who the hell are you?”Sosuke asked, annoyed. I shoot him a look to tell him to behave himself, but he rolled his eyes and ignored me.

“Ooh, harsh,” the guys responded, setting the towels down on a nearby bench. “I’m a new employee here. I have a question for you too, though: are you wifi? ‘Cause I’m feeling the connection.”

That earned another bout of laughter from me. Really, who the hell uses those cheesy pick up lines? I couldn’t say I didn’t like this guy, though. I had a feeling we could be great friends.

Sosuke groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “That’s the worst attempt at flirting I’ve ever seen. I don’t even _know_ you.”

The guy crossed his arms, which were nicely toned. “Then allow me to enlighten you: Keiji Hirai, 18, born January 23rd. I like reading manga and playing sports in my free time. I hate carrots and spiders freak me out. I can just _feel_ the gay oozing off of you.” He wore a shit eating grin, giving Sosuke and once over again. “And I also happen to like what I see. So I have to ask, if I said you have a nice body, would you hold it against me?”

I was practically dying at this point. My stomach was hurting from laughing so much, and Sosuke just looked at me in annoyance.

“I came to work out, not for this shit,” Sosuke muttered, turning his attention back to the punching bag and slamming it with a fist.

I walked over to Keiji and clapped him on the shoulder, flashing him a grin. “Don’t mind Sosuke over there, he’s just grumpy. My name’s Rin, nice to meet you.”

“Great to meet you too, Rin,” Keiji replied cheerfully. Then his eyes slid over to Sosuke, a gleam in his eye.”And of course, great to meet you, Sosuke.”

“Sure,” came Sosuke’s mumbled response. I wondered if he was embarrassed for being flirted with by someone so good looking, and if he was, then I needed to knock some sense into him.

“As much as I’d like to hang out and get to know you guys more, I have to get back to work before the boss gets on my case,” Keiji said ruefully. “I’ll see you guys later.” He winked at Sosuke before picking up the towels and walking away, leaving us alone again.

“Well that was… interesting,” I said, looking over to Sosuke. “I like him. He seems fun.”

Sosuke groaned again, hitting his forehead against the punching bag. “That was horrifying. Who even uses those cheesy pick up lines?”

“Keiji, apparently. You have to admit, he’s good looking. Those eyes are just.. wow.”

“Then dump Nanase and date that Hirai guy then.”

I gaped at him in offense. “Hell no! Just because I think Keiji looks good, doesn’t mean I’m gonna dump Haru - who’s perfect by the way - just to go after him!”

“Whatever you say, Rin. now let’s get back to this; I hate being interrupted.”

With a sigh, I held onto the punching bag again. There was no way I’d let this slide, so while we worked out, I thought of ways to force Sosuke to hang out with Keiji. My inner matchmaker was coming out.

* * *

 

Going to work the next day was exciting, but I had to keep a straight face the whole time so Sosuke wouldn’t question me. Momo and Ai seemed to have gotten over the whole flour incident the day before, so the cafe regained its original atmosphere. Everyone around me was tired; the guys looked exhausted from studying late into the night. Any students that came in halfheartedly brushed the snow off their shoulders, then proceeded to order the strongest coffee they could get with barely any enthusiasm. I felt bad for them, but at the same time I was glad I wasn’t going to college.

“I took four pills today for my headache, and they’re not working,” Sosuke  said, wincing whenever there was a loud noise.

“Don’t overdose,” I warned him. “Can’t have you dying a virgin,”

“I don’t even have the strength to smack you,” he said, leaning his head in his hands.

“Better for me, then. Don’t worry, I bet your day will get a whole lot better.”

He shot me a confused look, but I just smiled and rubbed his back in comfort. he shrugged it off and let me handle the next customer, closing his eyes for a while to try and reign in that headache.

Haru’s absence hung over me like a huge weight, and I was pretty bummed that I wouldn’t be able to see him today either. Whenever I had a free moment, I’d shoot him a quick text. The buzzing of my phone was getting me through the day, a smile overtaking my features whenever I read his replies.

He told me that he’d been spending a lot of his time holed up in the library with Makoto, studying together and going over everything they’d learned over the semester. Apparently, the library was his favorite place, because being surrounded by all those books made him feel at home. He said that instead of having an exam for his Creative Writing course, he was supposed to write a fifty page story with a clear theme and well developed characters, which he was having a ton of fun with. I somehow persuaded him to let me read it when it was done.

I was pleased when he told me that his English was getting better, and that he was looking forward to our next tutoring session together. He’d memorized almost all of the songs on the Symphony Soldier album and understood them, and even through text I could tell he was proud of himself. I made sure to tell him how awesome that was, and that I couldn’t wait to see him again.

I was typing away on my phone when I heard Sosuke muttering under his breath. “Why the hell is he here?”

Looking up, I saw just who Sosuke was talking about, and hid a smile behind my phone. Keiji walked into the cafe confidently, looking around with interest. He shook his hair out to get rid of any snow and brushed off his shoulders. Today, he was wearing normal clothes instead of his work uniform. He was dressed in what looked like a deep green button-up shirt under a black unzipped hoodie. His dark blue jeans fit him perfectly, but were cut off by black combat boots. He spotted us behind the counter and smiled, walking over and leaning one elbow on the countertop while giving Sosuke a flirty look.

“Hey, Rin,” he greeted me without even looking over. “And fancy seeing you here, Sosuke.”

I bit my lip to keep from grinning again, and Sosuke looked from Keiji to me before two and two together.

“Rin,” he growled, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me aside. “Please don’t tell me you told him that we work here.”

“Okay, I won’t”

“Since when did you even talk to him?”

I shifted uncomfortably, averting my eyes. “Well… remember when I said I forgot my gym bag and went back inside to get it?”

He groaned, and I was mentally starting to count how many times he’d do that before giving into defeat.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question, and it earned a sheepish smile from me.

“Come on, Sosuke, give him a chance,” I pleaded, not understanding why he was so annoyed with Keiji.

“And why should I?” he asked.

“Uh, guys, I’m standing right here,” came Keiji’s voice. We both looked over and saw him staring at us with a hand raised while he leaned on the counter.

I lowered my voice before answering Sosuke’s question. “Because this could be a good thing. Keiji seems like the kind of guy who could finally make you loosen up and have some fun. I think you two’d be good for each other.”

Sosuke looked at me like I was stupid, and I saw an emotion in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place.

“Rin,” he said softly, and I instantly perked up when he sounded tired and sad. “Not even two months ago I told you I was in love with you. Just because you rejected me, doesn’t mean that I’m over you.” My eyes widened in realization, but he continued before I could say anything. “You’re still my best friend, obviously. You know I don’t resent you for any of that. I’m trying to move on, but I’m not there yet. You can’t expect me to just hook up with whoever flirts with me and fall in love with them like I did with you.”

I pursed my lips, looking down at my feet. I felt like an idiot.

“I hadn’t thought of that, to be honest,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t know, he just seems nice and I think you’d like him if you got to know him better.”

He was silent, sneaking a peek over at Keiji, who was waiting patiently. His honey-amber eyes were staring at a random spot on the counter, and he looked more serious than I’d seen him so far.

“He’s the worst flirt ever,” Sosuke commented, but he sounded a lot less hostile than before.

I shrugged, smiling again. “Yeah, but he has a unique sense of style. And at least he’s not beating around the bush.” Then I smirked, and wiggled my eyebrows at Sosuke. “The best part is that he totally knew you were gay just from a glance.”

Sosuke scoffed, but I spotted a hint of a smile. He hesitated, gaze flickering over to Keiji again. “... I’ll have coffee with  him,” he concluded, and I beamed at him. “But if he’s too annoying or boring, don’t think I’m ever hanging out with him again.”

“Deal! You never know, if you don’t make a boyfriend out of him, then you might just gain a new friend. I’m pretty sure I will.”

“Maybe,” he agreed. Then he shot me an accusing look. “You didn’t give him my number, did you?”

I held my hands up in surrender. “I only told him where we work. It up to you to get his number and give him yours. I’m not going to do everything for you.”

Satisfied with that answer, he took a deep breath and moved back to his spot behind the counter with me close on his heels. Keiji’s head shot up and his serious expression was replaced with something more cheerful as soon as he saw us.

“Hey! Done talking about me?” Keiji asked, but he didn’t seem to be pissed off about it.

“For now, yeah,” Sosuke responded, receiving a laugh from Keiji. “So what can I get you?”

Keiji pondered that question for a moment, scanning over the menu board. “How about… a Peppermint Mocha? And maybe a date, while we’re at it?” He added.

“Nice try, but you’ll have to earn that one. Peppermint Mocha, comin right up.” I watched Sosuke make the coffee, briefly thinking that maybe Cupid blessed me to get these two together. Turning to Keiji, I leaned in and whispered so Sosuke wouldn’t hear me.

“Grab a table, he’ll join you soon.”

Keiji didn’t question it, just nodded and straightened up when Sosuke returned with his coffee, steam rising from the cup. Keiji paid and purposely brushed his hand against Sosuke’s.

“I’ll just be sitting over there,” Keiji said, cocking his head in the direction of an empty table. With one last look, he walked off, the two of us left staring after him.

“You can take your break in fifteen minutes,” I said, brushing my hair back from my eyes.

“Fine, but you owe me a smoothie for going along with this.”

“Whatever you say.”

I spent the next hour or so glancing over at the table Keiji and Sosuke sat at, the grin refusing to leave my face. It was like Sosuke was trying his hardest not to enjoy himself, while Keiji leaned back in his chair looking completely at ease while he talked about whatever he was talking about. At one point, Keiji shed his hoodie and rolled up the sleeved of his button-up to his elbows, showing of his arms. The action seemed subconscious, as if he did it all the time. I saw Sosuke eye his arms for a split second before returning his gaze to Keiji’s face.

He even managed to get a laugh out of Sosuke somehow, and I saw Keiji’s eyes practically shine when he did. I gave myself a pat on the back for making Sosuke agree to go through with it. A normal person might have thought he was just enduring it, but I could tell Sosuke was having a good time. I mean, he did go over his allowed break time without even noticing.

The best part of it all was when they both pulled out their phones. Keiji looked like an excited child when he put his number in Sosuke’s phone. Getting his phone back, Sosuke must have seen the time because he jumped out of his seat and quickly said something to Keiji. A minute later, he was rushing back his post and tying his apron back on.

“Shit, sorry,” he apologized. “Lost track of time.” He was too busy wrestling with his apron to notice Keiji leaving, sending me a wave and winking in Sosuke’s direction.

I laughed, deciding that I’d have to hang out with Keiji some time.

“Well?” I asked.

He stopped, hesitating for a second before shrugging. “He’s okay.”

I folded my arms, glad that there weren’t any customers because I wasn’t helping anyone until I got some answers out of him. “Don’t give me that crap. What did he say?”

I thought I heard him say something like “Nosy bastard”, but he reluctantly relayed any information he got from Keiji.

“We just talked about life, you know. He goes to college to study art. He said he likes to draw and paint. He’s got an older brother and he says he wants to get his own apartment soon so he doesn’t have to keep living with his parents. He was nice, I guess. he seems like the type to live in the moment and have fun… Stop looking at me like that, dammit.”

“Looking at you like what?” I asked innocently, knowing full well I was grinning and giving him an I-told-you-so look.

“Whatever. So I had coffee with him. Happy now?”

“Don’t forget that you got his number. And yeah, I am. You need more friends, Sosuke. We both know our Crew is crazy; none of us are normal.”

“Keiji’s probably insane like us, too.” With that, he ended the conversation and put on a smile for the a girl that had just walked in. I didn’t mention that fact that he’d started calling Keiji by his first name, choosing to let it slide this time.

The rest of the day was spent either texting Haru or getting some kind of information about Keiji. It was a good day, I concluded, ignoring any outbursts from the kitchen that signaled more shenanigans on Momo’s part. I was content with the events and feeling like something great was just around the corner.

Gay was in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you guys ask, yes, Keiji is an OC. And the ship name is SosKei if anyone's wondering xD  
> I'm posting this on Keiji's birthday! Yaaay!!  
> What are your guys' first impressions of Keiji? There'll be more of him in the future.  
> (Also, sorry if this chapter was crap, I was so out of my groove this week)


	18. Love Like This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MakoHaru bromance and new possibilities.  
> Haru gets more hugs than he can count.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Click on the link that says "boots" in the text to see the boots Rin got!  
> -  
> Also, really sorry this is a week late. Life got in the way! Hope you guys like it!!

I looked over the list I made for myself as I entered the store, mentally noting that I’d have to go to two different places to get all of my Christmas shopping done. Putting the list away for now, I grabbed a basket and dodged around the other Christmas shoppers. There were quite a few of them, but that’s what I got for leaving it this late. Christmas was next week, and I still had to buy everyone gifts.

With the Crew and Haru’s gang being subjected to finals this week, I had more free time to myself, so I decided it was now or never to get gifts. Walking through the store, I picked up the things that I’d planned on getting the guys, saving the most difficult ones for last. On that list was Gou’s gift. I’d decided I’d get her a nice pair of shoes (not that I really knew what girls found nice), but I’d do my best. I also had no idea what to get Sosuke (even though he was my best friend and I literally knew everything about him). After so many years of getting each other gifts, meaningful items were just hard to come by now.

With the things on my list secured in the basket, I went to the shoe aisle first. The womens’ shoes were mostly gone now, everything good picked already and the rest scattered around and left in a mess, barely able to tell one shoe from another. With  a sigh, I started my search, praying that I wouldn’t have to go to another store to find a good pair.

I sifted through flip flops, sneakers, and boots of all colors, finding them to be the most hideous things on the planet. I had no idea how the designers made money off of them, but maybe women saw things differently. Moving on between the rows of shoes, I increased my efforts ten-fold, determined to find something that Gou would like. I searched every nook and cranny, carefully examining boxes and the shoes that were on display.

I finally found something hidden behind a box of flip flops, the picture on the box catching my eye and peaking my curiosity. I pulled the box out, setting the basket down and sitting on a nearby bench. I lifted the lid, moving aside the paper inside to take a good look at the pair.

What I found was what pretty much the jackpot. Inside the box was a pair of short, high heeled [boots](http://img5.lwhs.me/images/201308/goods_img/104449_P_1377261014543.jpg). They were the lace up kind, with a round toe and a buckle a little above the heel part of it. They were made of black leather, and I knew instantly they’d look fantastic on Gou. Hoping against hope, I glanced at the shoe size, sighing in relief when I saw they were the perfect size for her..

Putting the lid back on the box, I put it in the basket and I got up again, now trying to think of a gift for Sosuke. I wandered around the store for what seemed liked hours, my frustration growing with every minute. Why the fuck was it so hard to find something good for him? At first I just thought about getting him a towel; at least he could get some use out of it. But that was lamer than lame, so I keep looking.

Eventually, I walked into the book aisle, glancing at the titles. I saw a Japanese copy of _The Fault in Our Stars_ (I’ll admit I’ve read the book too, but in English… I may or may not have cried while reading it). There was tons of manga too, and I debated about whether I should get something like that for Sosuke. I knew he liked manga, so it wasn’t exactly a bad idea.

All thoughts of manga were blown from my mind when I saw a certain book. I had never read it, but I knew enough about it to know that I just _had_ to get it for Sosuke. With a manic grin on my face, I reached forward and picked up _Fifty Shades of Grey_. I inwardly laughed, imagining Sosuke’s expression when he looked at the book.

“Rin?” Came a familiar voice, and I froze. Slowly turning my head, I was met with the sight of Keiji, who had his eyebrows raised and was looking from me to the book in my hand.

“This isn’t for me,” I said quickly.

“Uh-huh,” he said, starting to smile. “Who’s it for, then?”

“Uh… it’s for Sosuke,” I answered, figuring there was no point in lying. I watched as his eyebrows practically disappeared into his hair. “Stupid Christmas gift.”

“That… is probably the best idea ever.” And then he burst out laughing, clapping me on  the shoulder.

“Er, right,” I said, putting the book in the basket to put it out of view. “You out Christmas shopping too?’

He took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded. “Yeah, just gotta get one last thing. I was talking to Sosuke the other day, and I found out he likes manga too. So I was just trying to find something good for him.” He scratched his chin, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

“Well it’s a good thing I didn’t decide to get him the same thing, then. Need some help picking something out?”

He looked at me gratefully. “Please.”

Together, we looked over the selection of manga, voicing out options while I tried to remember if Sosuke already had them or not. I didn’t read much manga myself, but I knew what Sosuke liked and Keiji was an avid reader too, so we made do. Keiji picked up a volume, showing me the cover.

“What about this? This volume _just_ came out a few days ago. Do you know if he reads this?”

I looked over the cover, which had a guy dressed as a samurai with a long sword by his side on it, and vaguely recalled Sosuke having the same kind of manga at his place. Thinking back, I remembered that he’s been complaining about something during his shift a few days ago, and I snapped my fingers.

“I think he was saying something about not being able to get the new volume because of finals. He’d probably really like it.”

Satisfied,  Keiji clutched the volume tight, as if not to lose it. Done with  our shopping, we were about to head to check out when I spotted something out the corner of my eye.

“Keiji,” I said, grabbing his arm to stop him.

“What?” He looked over, and I grinned while pointing over to a small section of manga to the side.

“You have to get him this, too,” I said, barely able to contain a laugh. What I was pointing to was a section titled YAOI, and I grabbed one of the manga with the best covers. It showed two guys, one bigger with dark hair and a serious expression, the other shorter and more innocent looking. The taller one hand his hand on the smaller guy’s ass, the other hand lifting up his shirt and reaching for a nipple. Keiji took the manga out of my hands and started to flip through it while I looked over his shoulder. The pages were filled with the most explicit boy on boy sex I’d ever seen, rivaling the porn I watched sometimes. I had to admit, it was hot, and I stored away that info for later, wondering why I’ve never read yaoi manga before. Keiji was completely absorbed in the manga, his expression dead serious when he looked back up to me.

“He’s going to freak and I’m going to laugh my ass off,” he said with a straight face.

I threw my head back and laughed, imagining it too and knowing Sosuke would be horrified for getting two books like that.

“Perfect,” I said, finally calming down. “You have to let me know what his reaction is when he sees it.”

“Will do.”

With that, we headed to check out, the lady behind the register giving me strange looks when she saw _Fifty Shades of Grey_. With my items purchased, I waited for Keiji to pay for his, and then we headed out of the store.

“Where are you going next?” Keiji asked, zipping up his black hoodie.

“Music store,” I answered, fixing my beanie. “I’m gonna get Haru a new album.”

“Getting the boyfriend some tunes, huh?”

Keiji had met Haru when Haru had come into the cafe last week, one of the only times he took a break from studying to come visit me. I didn’t blame him for not seeing me more often, but the cafe did feel a bit empty without him there.

“Mind if I come with?” Keiji asked.

I shook my head, glad for the company. “This way.”

We made small talk as we made our way over to the music store. Keiji told me about his final project for his art class, and I watched as he passionately explained how he blended various colors to paint a scene from under the ocean, adding in sea creatures and plants and making it look as lifelike as possible.

“It took me two weeks to finish,” I he said proudly. “But it turned out pretty awesome so it was worth it.”

I felt that familiar twinge of envy I always got when someone talked about doing something they loved. Keiji seemed like he knew exactly what he wanted, and once again, I felt left out. But I was happy for him, and despite his laid back attitude, I could tell he was serious about art.

We reached the music store and I felt at home as soon as I stepped inside. Being surrounded by so many CDs and music was heaven, and I instantly made a beeline to where I knew the album that I wanted to get Haru would be.

“What are you gonna get him?”

At Keiji’s question, I picked out the album I wanted and held it up.

“One Republic,” I said. “One of my favorite bands. Haru’s memorized the last album I gave him and it helped with his English a lot, so I thought this would be a good gift.”

He nodded in approval, taking the CD from my hands and looking it over. “I know a little English, but I’m not fluent. Maybe I’ll take a page out of your book and use music to help me learn a bit more.”

“Haru says it helps,” I supplied, taking the album to the registrar and paying for it. “By the way, Keiji, do you want to come over to my place?”

He lit up like an excited puppy, flashing me a blinding smile.

“Really?”

“Yeah, why not? I was gonna draw Haru something, too. We can invite Sosuke and hang out.”

At the mention of Sosuke, he perked up even more, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

“You and I are going to be best friends,” he stated.

I couldn’t say I wasn’t pleased to hear that.

On the way to my apartment, I called Sosuke to invite him over. It took some convincing (he claimed to be too tired from studying late and taking tests everyday), but in the end he agreed. We got to my place before him, so I helped Keiji hide the manga in a place Sosuke wouldn’t find it, hiding my gift for him there too. Keiji made himself at home, commenting on random things every now and then. I got my sketchbook from my room, finding some extra paper for if Keiji got bored. I sat down on the ground by the coffee table with my sketchbook and pencils.

“I didn’t know you drew,” Keiji said, scooting up next to me and watching as I opened up the sketchbook.

“I don’t, really. Just doodle here and there.”

I flipped through the book, trying to find a blank page to work on. Keiji snatched the book from me, eyes wide while he looked at the pages in awe.

“Hold the fuck up,” he whispered. “What the hell do you mean you don’t really?” He looked at me like I was stupid, tapping the page in front of him. “Doodles? What are your actual drawings like if these are doodles?”

The page he was observing at the moment was something I’d drawn when I was bored a couple of weeks ago. The drawing was of a tiger in mid leap, looking as if it was jumping right off the page. Its eyes were a deep crimson color, the body a mixture of different shades of oranges. It was actually an idea I had for a tattoo I once wanted to get, but I had scrapped the idea. Now it was just a piece in the collection of drawings taking over my sketchbook.

I shrugged, not really thinking it was that great. It was more of a fun pastime. Keiji, on the other hand, looked at it like it was a work of art. Maybe it wasn’t too bad if he liked it that much.

“The style is really unique,” he commented, analyzing the drawing. “It looks like a tattoo.”

“Yeah, that was originally the idea,” I said, pulling the book back from him. “But I didn’t think a tiger really suited me so I just left it.”

I found a blank page and tapped my pencil against it, mapping out the drawing in my head.

“I think other people would love to get that tattooed.”

I hummed, not really paying attention as I was too absorbed in starting the drawing. I had the entire thing planned out, from the pencil outline to the colors I’d use. My hand began to move smoothly on one side of the page, sketching out a lithe figure. I spent only a few minutes on that part, moving on to the other side of the page to do something similar. With a light outline done, I then used them to begin the shapes and details I would need for the figures, measuring the length of the sea creatures precisely to make sure something wasn’t too small or too big.

I was so focused on the task at hand that I didn’t hear the knock on the door, only snapping out of my trance when I heard Sosuke’s voice.

“No wonder he’s so lost in his own little world; he’s doodling again.”

I looked up to see Sosuke shaking his head at me, coming over to sit on the couch while Keiji grinned and took the spot on the ground opposite me. I stuck my tongue out at Sosuke, sending him the middle finger too.

“For your information,” I said, “I’m actually drawing something. It’s a gift for Haru.”

“Of course it’s for Nanase,” he said like he should have known, but he didn’t seem to be too angry about it. “So what, was I invited over just to watch you draw?”

I shrugged, motioning to Keiji. “You’ll have company.”

Sosuke rolled his eyes in disbelief. “He never shuts up about art. I know for a fact he’ll be even more absorbed in drawing than you.”

Keiji gave him a smile and a wink, twirling the pencil in his hands before pointing it to Sosuke. “Don’t worry, Sosuke, I’ll draw something for you. I know you’ll love it and I promise not to ignore you.”

Sosuke turned his head away as if he didn’t care, but I could see the blush staining his cheeks and I had to hide my smile behind my hand.

“See, everything works out,” I said, looking down at the page again. “Now you guys do whatever because I need to get back to this.”

I tuned them out after that, letting my wrist slide over the paper. After doing the drawing lightly in pencil, I got to inking it, darkening the lines with extreme focus so I wouldn’t mess anything up. I inked in the black portions, erasing away stray pencil marks and the outline I’d done earlier. So far it was looking good, but now the hardest part came: adding the color. I opened up the case of art supplies I’d gotten as a gift years ago, going through it to find the right colors. Picking them out, I put them to side for easy access, glancing up very briefly to see Keiji hunched over his own drawing while he talked about dogs or something. Sosuke was quiet, listening as he watched Keiji from the side, the smallest of smiles playing on his lips. I quickly ducked my head down again, not wanting to be caught looking in case I broke Sosuke out of his little admiring session.

My attention back on the piece in front of me, I spent the next hour just adding the color the way I wanted it, filling in little details to make it look better and leaving no space on the page untouched. I thought of Haru as I blended the colors together, knowing that even if it didn't turn out good, he would appreciate the sentiment.

Personally, I think it turned out pretty great. I looked over the paper as I set the colors down, a slow smile spreading over my face. Excited to share my work with the other two, I looked up, ready to demand attention. I hesitated when I saw them sitting together on the couch, barely an inch apart while they talked softly. Only a few feet away, I could hear every word they were saying, but they seemed to be off in their own little world. Even Sosuke didn't seem as stiff as usual, letting himself relax and smile fondly every now and then. The urge to share was growing stronger with every passing second, but I really didn't want to interrupt them.

By some miracle, Sosuke chose that moment to look away from Keiji, catching my eye. As soon as he realized that I had been watching them, he scooted a few inches away to put some space between them. He cleared his throat, and by this time Keiji had followed his gaze and spotted me too.

“Hey! You done with your masterpiece?” Keiji asked, sliding off the couch and leaning over the coffee table to try and look.

“It’s not really a masterpiece,” I corrected, ducking my head in embarrassment. “But it’s not too bad either.”

Keiji took the page to examine, Sosuke peering over his shoulder. I bit my lip, waiting for their opinion, legs asleep from sitting in the same position for so long but deciding not to move yet. After what seemed like hours but was probably only a minute, Keiji looked up at me with a completely straight face.

“What the fuck are you doing working in a cafe?”

I stared at him, bewildered, not knowing how to respond.

“This,” Keiji said, sliding the page back to me, “needs to be put up somewhere. Haru is one lucky guy to get  this as a gift, ‘cause let me tell you, it’s frickin amazing. And I’m an artist, I should know.”

I was speechless, feeling myself blush at the compliments. Sosuke was smirking too, then gently pushed Keiji with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re not an actual artist yet, idiot,” he said.

“Hey, I’m studying it and I’m pretty damn good,” Keiji protested. “I’m an artist no matter what you say.”

Leaving them to their bickering, I let my eyes fall to the drawing again. There was a shark and dolphin taking up most of the page. They were drawn in a tribal style, a lot like the tattoo I had on my shoulder blade. The dolphin was on the left, curved like it was swimming downward. The shark was to the right, curved as if it was swimming upward, the two creatures resembling the Yin Yang sign. The left half of the page was a a deep blue, lighter shades of the color used to make the texture look like rolling waves. The right half was a rich crimson surrounding the shark, orange added in to make it seem like a bloodred version of the ocean floor with light filtering in. The two colors began to merge the closer they got to the center of the page, flecks of red visible in the blue and vice versa. The middle of the page gradually became a deep shade of purple, the waves turning violet as they met the deep red ocean floor.

The colors were inspired by Haru’s poem, which I had memorized by now. I personally liked the unique tattoo style I had, so I didn’t make the dolphin and shark look like the actual creatures in detail.

“He’s got a point, Rin,” Sosuke said, drawing my attention to him. “I’ve told you a million times you draw really good. Everyone loves your latte art, too.”

I didn’t really know how to respond to all the praise. Drawing was just something fun I liked to do in my spare time. I didn’t think I was cut out ot be an artist who painted on canvases and went to galleries, and I said as much.

“I don’t really see myself as an ‘artist’,” I said, using air quotes to emphasize the last word.

Keiji shrugged like it was no big deal, black hair falling into his eyes. “Artists can be a ton of things. They call people who make music artists too, don’t they? I’m sure you can find something to do with drawing that you’ll really like. Just keep it as an option, you know? You have some serious talent, Rin.”

I pondered his words, fingers toying with with a pencil. I was so lost all the time, watching people all around me finding things to do and study that they loved. Everyone was going after a goal and striving to be something they wouldn’t regret, while I was here working in a cafe without any idea what I wanted to do with my life. Although I knew I’d never regret working at the Sharkbait Cafe, I longed for something more, something to define who I was and showed off a part of me.

From what these guys were saying, I had talent doing something fun. I thought back to the happy faces of customers who got nice latte art on their coffee, the pride I felt in drawing out those smiles.

Maybe Keiji’s words deserved some more thought, after all.

* * *

 

_Haru_

I fell into bed, head aching and body exhausted. My bag was discarded onto my desk chair, much lighter than it had been just a few hours ago. The stress that had been building up for weeks was blissfully gone, leaving my body relaxed and rushing to catch up on the sleep I had been denying myself for so long. My eyes were already beginning to close, and I fully intended to sleep for the next day or two and replenish my energy.

“Haru, you can’t fall asleep!” Makoto’s voice jolted me out of my doze, and I glared at him, hoping he could feel my hatred for waking me up. He was unaffected by the glare, moving over to the closet and pulling out what looked like a duffle bag. “You have to pack for tomorrow!”

As tired as I was, I knew he was right and dragged myself out of bed. With final exams finally having ended today, campus was going to be completely empty by tomorrow afternoon, students heading home for winter break. That also meant that I would be joining Rin and Gou on their trip home and staying at their mother’s house until the new year. Rin texted me at least five times a day, expressing his excitement and joy in having me along, saying how much he looked forward to seeing more of me. I had to agree with him there, remembering my absence in the cafe for so many days due to studying and exams. I too was looking forward to spending quality time with Rin.

“Remember to pack the essentials,” Makoto reminded me, already having packed his own bag days ago. “Don’t forget your toothbrush, and be sure to pick up something for Matsuoka-san on the way there!”

I huffed a laugh, moving to pick out an assortment of sweaters and throwing them into the bag.

“I know, Makoto, you’ve reminded me a dozen times this week. You’re going to make a very motherly father one day. Seijuurou should be proud.”

I didn’t have to look to know that Makoto was blushing crimson, stuttering over his words.

“Haru!” he squeaked. “It’s too soon to be thinking about children! And please don’t just throw your clothes into the bag.”

His face and neck were still pink as he kneeled to fold my clothes for me. Though I was perfectly capable of doing so myself, I was far too tired to protest and just let him handle it. I had no idea how he had so much energy after staying up so late for so many nights.

“One day, though,” I said, picking out more things to pack. “And he’ll be meeting your family, too. I know you've been looking forward to this for weeks.”

He beamed, biting his lip to try and contain his joy.

“Yeah, I really can’t wait for Sei to meet everyone. I’m nervous, but I know the twins will definitely love him, and I have a feeling he’ll be able to charm Mom and Dad too.” He looked at me then, expression soft and knowing. “You’re nervous too, aren’t you?”

I looked away, knowing I didn’t have to say anything for Makoto to understand. Today, though, I felt like talking. Perhaps it would help soothe the anxiety a little.

“I want to make a good first impression,” I said softly, pausing in my packing to stare at the dark blue material of one of my sweaters. “Rin’s mother means a lot to him. I want her to approve of me.”

Makoto laid a gentle hand on my shoulder, and I relaxed, only then realizing how tense I was.

“If she’s anything like Rin, she'll love you,” he said. “Even if you’re not the most outspoken person in the world, you care and it shows just how much you love Rin. I’m sure she’ll think of you as a second son in no time.” He paused, studying my face, green eyes seeming to stare straight into my soul. "But that's not all that you're worried about, is it?"

I clenched the sweater in my hands tightly, letting out a sigh. I was hesitant to voice my fears, but keeping them inside was painful, and I knew Makoto would understand.

"Rin says his mother accepts him for who he is," I started. "She even jokes about his sexuality and he told me that there have been a few incidents where she's tried to set him up with other men. It's just... It's hard to believe. He's so open and confident."

"But so are you. You don't care if people know you're pansexual." I could tell Makoto knew exactly where I was going with this, but his little encouragement, those few words which made me feel like I was brave meant a lot.

"Yes, but it's different... It's different when it comes to family." Makoto was giving me a kind and understanding look, and I knew I must look as lost as I felt. "They're going to find out one day, Makoto," I whispered. "I can't keep the fact that I'm dating a man hidden from my parents forever. And it terrifies me to think of their reaction. They expect me to find a nice girl to settle down with; mother asks me about it everytime she calls. I doubt they'd be as accepting of me as Rin's mother is of him, or your parents are of you. They'd never really been there for me, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't resent them for that. But they're still my parents, and all I've ever wanted was to be loved by them, to be acknowledged. I don't want them to hate me - hate Rin - for who I am and who I love."

I let my gaze drop to my lap, shoulders hunched and stomach filled with worry and doubt. Makoto squeezed my shoulder gently, completely stopping his task of folding clothes in order to focus on me.

"Your parents are very traditional," he admitted, "but you need to have hope. It doesn't have to be now, but you should talk to them when you're ready. Maybe you need for stand up for yourself a little more, Haru. You're free to be whoever you want to be."

I felt the corners of my lips twitch upward in a smile. "I recall Rin saying something similar."

"Well, he's right. And Haru, no matter what happens, remember that you've got me by your side. Me and Nagisa and Rei will always be here for you. And of course I know Rin will too, and with him comes the rest of the Sharkbait crew, so you're not alone. You have friends."

My smile grew wider, and I looked straight into Makoto's eyes to make sure he knew I was sincere. "Thank you, Makoto."

He chuckled, pulling me into a hug. "You're welcome, Haru."

A few seconds later, we broke apart, and Makoto was just about to start folding clothes again when I remembered something.

"We won't be seeing each other on Christmas this year," I stated, slightly saddened by that fact but also knowing we'd both be having fun. "Do you want to exchange gifts now?"

His eyes lit up, and he nodded fervently, quickly getting to his feet.

"I have yours right here!" I watched as he laid down on the ground on his stomach, reaching under his bed and pulling out a rectangular package. He walked back and sat down next to me, holding out the gift. “You can open yours first.”

Taking the package from him, which was wrapped neatly in blue wrapping paper with snowflakes decorating it, I felt the heavy weight in my hands. It felt like a book, and I looked up hopefully at him. Makoto smiled, nodding for me to continue, and I quickly ripped open the wrapping as if I was a child.

The gift turned out to be a book after all, a book of poetry to be exact. I flipped through it carefully, revelling in the crisp, new pages and surprised by the content. All of the poems were in English, and I had learned enough to be able to read most of the lines and understand them. The most amazing part was that they were by some very famous American and English authors. I regarded the book in awe, unable to suppress a grin as I held it close to me.

“Makoto… thank you,” I said, so incredibly happy with the gift.

“Merry Christmas, Haru,” he replied.

Setting the book down carefully on my desk, I moved to retrieve Makoto’s gift. It was sitting right there on my desk, in plain sight, but since it blended in so well with everything else, no one would be able to guess it was a present. Picking up the thick binder, I handed it to Makoto, watching as he took it with confusion.

I fidgeted, nervous but proud at the same time. I kept a close eye on him as he opened the blank cover of the binder. Each page was laminated to ensure their safety in the rings of the binder. As his fingers trailed over the first page, I heard his breath hitch and his eyes widened as he scanned over it.

“ _Trials in Open Water_ ,” he whisper-read, “by Haruka Nanase.” He looked at me in shock, the back down to the binder, then up at me again. “You wrote me a story?”

I hid my eyes behind my bangs, embarrassed but pleased with his reaction. “Technically, with the page count, it could be considered a novel.”

His eyes widened further, and it looked like he was seeing the thickness of the pages for the first time. He carefully flipped to the last page in the binder only to glance at the page number, a small squeak escaping him as he did.

“325 pages?! Haru, you wrote me an entire book! This must have taken you months!”

I rubbed the back of my neck, nodding. “I started writing it last January. With the editing and schoolwork I had to do, it took me much longer to finish that I had planned. But I was able to get it ready in time, so that’s what matters.”

He looked at the binder as if it was the most precious thing in the world, unable to take his eyes off it. “Oh Haru… You should get this published instead of giving it me. You’re an amazing writer, you could do it.”

I shook my head, looking down at my lap. “I don’t think I’m entirely ready to publish anything yet. Besides, while the romance is minimal compared to the overall plotline, it’s not… traditional. You’ll be able to appreciate it more than the rest of the Japanese population would. And I started writing it with the intention of gifting it to you, so you’ll be the first one to read it and keep it.”

Makoto nodded in understanding, not questioning me any further. “What’s it about?”

“It’s about two childhood friends from a small port town,” I explained. “When a close friend of theirs is kidnapped and taken away, they set out on their favorite ship to try and rescue him, sailing the seas and facing danger along the way. They forge friendships with others along the way, expanding their crew, and discovering things about themselves they never knew.”

His eyes were shining from my summary, his grin never fading. “It sounds amazing.” He flipped the first page, stopping short when he laid eyes on what I knew was the dedication page. “‘For my closest friend, Makoto, who has always been there for me through thick and thin. Thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me’.” When he met my eyes, I could see the tears pooling there, threatening to spill over. “Haru… Thank you so much…”

I stared at the dedication page, trying to the find the right words to say. “You don’t have to thank me. You know I appreciate you, Makoto. Even if I don’t say it enough.”

The next thing I knew, Makoto had wrapped me in a bear hug, laughing happily in my ear with the tears spilling down his cheeks. “You’re the best friend anyone could ever have, Haru.”

Shocked by the sudden hug, it took me a few seconds to respond and squeeze back. “Merry Christmas, Makoto.”

“Merry Christmas, Haru. I’ll treasure this gift forever.”

I didn’t doubt it. He told me I was the best friend anyone could ever have, but that wasn’t true. In reality, he was the kind of friend who needed to be cherished. I was grateful to have him and his family, and I doubted I’d ever be able to tell him how much I appreciated him being there. So instead of words, I went against my nature and hugged him tightly, letting him cry his tears of joy.

When he pulled himself together, he put the binder away securely in his bag, deciding to take it home with him so he could start reading. He helped me finish packing, and I zipped up the duffle bag, putting it at the foot of my bed to take tomorrow. I fell into bed after changing quickly, finally free and able to sleep. I felt happier than I had in a long time. The moment with Makoto coupled with the fact that I would be spending two weeks with Rin made all the stress from before worth it.

Perhaps it was that happy feeling, or maybe it was the lack of sleep, but I fell asleep looking forward to tomorrow, all traces of nerves gone.

***

It turned out that those factors were the cause of my lack of nerves after all. As Rin, Kou, and I sat side by side on the train, I was filled with anxiety, feeling as if my insides were collapsing in on themselves. I discreetly took deep breaths, my leg bouncing up and down as I stared out the window. I jumped when I felt Rin’s hand sliding into mine, turning to find him staring at me softly.

“Hey, don’t be nervous,” he said quietly so Kou wouldn’t hear. “You’ll love it there.”

I nodded my head stiffly, not bothering to correct him that I was worried about something entirely different. We held hands during the rest of the 30 minute train ride, following Kou onto the platform once we stopped.

“I need to pick up pick up something for your mother,” I stated once we were further away from the station.

“A watermelon!” Kou suggested as soon as she heard.

Rin looked at her as if she was crazy. “Where will you find a watermelon in the middle of winter?”

Kou put her hands on her hips, determined. “You can if you look hard enough!”

And that is how Rin and I ended up following Kou to every shop she could think of in the search for a watermelon. The cold air bit into the skin of my face, but I ignored it in favor of the warmth of Rin’s gloved hand in mine. He hadn’t let go even when we stepped off the train, and I didn’t mention it. I quite liked it, to be honest.

Eventually, we somehow came upon a shop that had watermelons. Kou picked out the ripest one with a triumphant expression.

“Told you, Onii-chan!”

Rin rolled his eyes, unwilling to admit defeat though it was clear he lost this battle.

I purchased the watermelon, going as far as having a ribbon wrapped around it. Then we exited the shop together, making our way to their home. I kept my thoughts occupied with the snow crunching beneath my feet, refusing to acknowledge the emotions warring within me.

It seemed like we arrived in no time at all as I stood before a modest two-story house. There was a car parked out front, and I was pulled up to the front door, Kou skipping ahead happily. Rin let go of my hand for a moment to dig into  his pocket and pull out his keys, finding the correct one and jamming it into the keyhole. He opened the door, letting Kou go in first. Then he took my hand again, giving me a reassuring smile before leading me inside and closing the door behind us.

I was greeted with a small entryway, a pair of shoes set off the side and a few hooks to hang coats or keys.

“Rin, Gou, is that you?” I heard a woman’s voice call from further in.

“Yeah mom, it’s us!”  Kou called back, setting her own suitcase down and taking off her coat and shoes. Rin and I followed suit, sliding off the layers of of jackets and scarves. Just as we arranged our shoes together neatly, a woman came into view. She was tall and slim, with long red hair tied back in a ponytail, much like Kou’s. She had red eyes like her children, her features kind and beautiful despite the wrinkles beginning to appear there. Kou would look just like her when she grew older, I thought.

I wasn’t expecting her to smack Rin upside the head, though.

“Ow! What was that for?” Rin asked, rubbing the back of his head.

“You deserved it, Mr. ‘I’ll call you more often’. Be glad I’m against child abuse, or you’d be getting a lot more than that.”

Kou giggled off to the side, but I could only stare in astonishment.

“I’m sorry, for God’s sake,” Rin muttered, “And please behave in front of Haru, Mom.”

Matsuoka-san seemed to only realize I was there when she heard my name, her face lighting up when she saw me.

“Haru!” She exclaimed, coming over and pulling me into a hug. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet you!”

People seemed to be catching me off guard with hugs quite a bit lately, so I stood there awkwardly, watermelon still cradled in my arms.

“It’s - It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Matsuoka-san,” I replied, breathing a sigh of relief when she let go of me.

“So polite. How’d you manage to score someone who’s the complete opposite of you, Rin? You could learn a thing or two from him.”

Rin groaned, rubbing his eyes. “ _Mom_. I’m polite to everyone.”

“Mm, not to your own mother,” she retorted.

“Look, if this is payback for not calling, then _I’m sorry_. Just stop embarrassing me in front of Haru already,” Rin pleaded.

Matsuoka-san regarded her son for a moment, before breaking out into a smile and hugging her son close. “Okay, Rin. It’s so good to see you.”

Rin melted into his mother’s arms, closing his eyes and hugging her tightly in return.

“Good to see you too, Mom,” he whispered.

I felt a stab of jealousy as I watched them. I couldn’t remember the last time my own mother had hugged me with so much love, or hugged me at all for that matter. I was happy for Rin for having a mother like that, but at the same time I craved to have that love as well.

Matsuoka-san broke away from Rin and embraced Kou next.

“Er, this is for you, Matsuoka-san,” I piped up after a moment, presenting the watermelon and bowing low. “Thank you for having me.”

I felt the weight of the watermelon leave my hands before I was straightened up without my consent. Matsuoka-san held me by the shoulders, the watermelon now in Rin’s possession.

“There’s no need to be so formal, Haru,” she said kindly. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re a part of the family now that you’re dating Rin.”

I was speechless, left to stare as she patted my cheek. My eyes slid over to Rin, who was grinning broadly and happier than I’d ever seen him.

I found my voice long enough to stutter out a ‘thank you’, which she brushed off, saying there was no need for thanks. With introductions out of the way, Matsuoka-san herded us out of the entryway with instructions to put our bags upstairs.

“Give Haru a tour of the house, you two,” she commanded before turning to me. “Haru, I’m sure you won’t mind sharing a room with Rin. I’ve set up a futon on the ground for you.” As she walked away, I could have sworn I heard her mutter something along the lines of “Though I doubt you’ll be needing it,” followed by, “Dinner will be ready soon!”

“Come on, Haru, grab your bag and let’s go.”

I took my duffle bag and followed the siblings as they led me through the house, introducing me to every area. The hallway walls were covered in family photos, recent and old. Rin looked like he had been a mischievous child, though his grins in every picture showed his joy.

Rin’s father was in many of the older pictures, looking carefree and happy with his family. Next I saw the sitting room, which was cozy and housed two sofas, a tiled fireplace, and a moderate-sized television. A smaller, adjacent room held a sofa and various knick knacks, a bookshelf taking up one wall and filled with various titles. One corner of the room resembled a small shrine. There was an altar with a photo frame on it, the picture of Rin’s father smiling and happy.

Without a word, I dropped my bag and approached the altar, sitting in a seiza style. I bowed my head, hands clased together as I paid my respects to the father of the man I loved. I felt the air shift on either side of me, and when I was done, I found Kou and Rin in the same position, paying respects to their father. Finished, Rin  smiled at me lovingly, taking my hand and turning back to the photograph of his father.

“Dad,” he started, voice softer than I’d ever heard from him, “this is Haru. You know, the guy I told you about when I went to visit you a month ago.”

So apparently he had talked about me when he visited his father’s grave last month. The knowledge touched me, and I squeezed his hand in appreciation. From the corner of my eye I saw Kou sneaking out of the room to give us some time alone.

“Well guess what? We’re together now and I’ve never been happier. You’d love him if you were here, and I’m sure you’re happy up there in the clouds, watching down on me.”

His voice broke, and I sensed that he was very close to crying. Not wanting him to shed tears, I took over, biting my lip before talking.

“Matsuoka-san,” I started, “Your son means everything to me.You raised him well for the time you were here, and for that I am grateful. I know you were a great man, as Rin admires and loves you so much. I hope I have your blessing to love your son.” I bowed my head again, before being pulled into a hug by Rin.

“I love you so much, Haru,” he whispered in my ear, kissing my cheek. “Thanks for this.”

I shook my head, kissing his cheek in return. “I want your parents’ blessing, Rin. I was scared your mother wouldn’t like me. I want them to approve of me.”

He pulled back an inch, staring into my eyes.

“Mom’s been asking about you everytime I actually called,” he told me. “Trust me when I say she adores you, and Dad would love you too.”

I felt a little more at ease, nodding my head to show that I understood. He kissed my forehead, pulling me to my feet.

“Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

Kou had been waiting for us on the bottom steps of the stairs, accompanying us up. When she was close enough, she reached out to squeeze my free hand. It felt like she was saying a silent _thank you_ , and though I could guess what it was for, it wasn’t necessary. I tightened my grip in return before letting go.

I was shown the upstairs bathroom, followed by a Kou’s room, which was very pink. There were stuffed animals, a pink bedspread, and photographs of a variety of different landscapes hung up all over the walls.

“My room is right next to Onii-chan’s,” Kou said, placing her suitcase on her bed. “So please, just make sure to keep it down at night.”

I felt my cheeks heat up at the implication, and Run was blushing too, stuttering in protest. “Gou! We don’t - we’re not - you’re not gonna hear anything, okay?!”

Kou giggled, waving us off. “I hope I don’t.”

Now thoroughly embarrassed, Rin dragged me out of the room, muttering, “Stupid family. Stupid girls always saying stupid stuff. And here’s my room.”

We entered his room, which was very similar to his room back in his apartment. There were band posters hung up, a small desk in one corner of the room and a double bed with a scarlet comforter off to one side of the spacious room. On the ground next to the bed was the futon Matsuoka-san had set up, and I set my duffle bag down beside it.

“You have a nice home,” I stated, sitting down.

Rin took a seat next to me, circling an arm around my shoulders. “Thanks. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“As am I,” I said, before I found my lips on his.

I’d learned over the past few weeks that Rin loved to kiss. I couldn’t complain whenever he kissed me, especially when he started off slow and soft, pressing his lips gently to mine. My favorite part was always when he slid his tongue over my bottom lip, the cool metal of his piercing sending chills down my spine in the best of ways. I parted my lips to grant his entrance, sighing in delight when I felt his tongue slide into my mouth. His hand cupped the back of the head, keeping me from moving away as he explored every inch of my mouth, tongue and piercing rubbing against the roof of my mouth.

As our kisses became more heated, so did my body, the heat building up and a small moan escaping me when Rin sucked on my tongue. I heard him moan in response, my hands clutching his shirt as the sound went straight to my groin. Sensing danger ahead with my rapidly scattering senses, I pulled away, a string of saliva connecting our parted lips.

“We should… we should go see if your mother needs help,” I breathed, detaching my hands from his shirt.

He gulped, gaze fixed on my lips, pupils blown wide with want.

“Yeah. Yeah, we should,” he agreed, slowly getting up. I fixed my hair to erase the evidence, willing my cock to behave and settle down. Satisfied with my appearance and glad that there was no tent in my pants, we made our way downstairs once more.

Kou and Matsuoka-san were in the kitchen, finishing up dinner, which smelled heavenly. Rin moved to help right away with the cooking, and I asked if I could help as well. Matsuoka-san denied me and made me sit at the table, saying it would only be a minute and to just relax. Doing as I was told, I sat down, watching the others converse as they moved about. Kou set the table, laughing every now and then. From their conversations, I could tell Matsuoka-san was a very laid back woman, teasing her children and inserting a joke wherever she could.

The three included me in their chat as well, making me feel like I belonged there. I was grateful, and as they all sat down to eat - Rin next to me and the girls opposite us - I found myself smiling.

I was stunned for what felt like he millionth time that day when Rin passed me a plate with mackerel on it.

“Rin told me you love mackerel,” Matsuoka-san said, depositing some steak onto her own plate. “I’ve never really cooked it before, but I hope you enjoy it.”

I broke off a piece of the fish with my chopsticks, placing it in my mouth. I nearly moaned at how delicious it was, the flavor taking over my senses.

“It’s incredible,” I complimented, barely restraining myself from devouring it.

“I’m glad. Now let’s dig in.”

We ate in silence for a while, Rin, Kou, and I hungry after not eating anything since breakfast that morning. I helped myself to some mashed potatoes as well, understanding where Rin learned to cook from.

Halfway through the meal, Matsuoka-san began to ask me questions, and my desire to impress was lit up again, nerves taking over once more.

“So Haru,” she said, in between a bite of steak, “Rin says you study literature. Do you want to be an author some day?”

I breathed deeply through my nose, telling myself it was just a simple question with an easy answer. I felt Rin’s hand on my knee, but when I glanced at him, he was focused on his food. The thought of him supporting me with just a simple touch, telling me I had nothing to fear fed my bravery, and I wiped my mouth with a napkin before speaking.

“Someday, yes. I like to write poetry as well as stories. Although I don’t think I’m ready yet, on day I would like to publish my works. I - I even wrote a novel for my closest friend.”

They all looked impressed, Rin’s mouth hanging open in shock more than anything.

“You wrote Makoto a novel?!” He asked.

I nodded seriously. “For Christmas, yes.”

“Holy crap…” He whispered, before raising his chopsticks again, apparently having nothing else to say.

“That’s amazing,” Matsuoka-san said. “You have a clear goal in life, and that’s admirable for someone your age. A lot better than this one over here.” She motioned to Rin, who scowled, though there was no venom behind it.

“Hey, I’m figuring it out!” He defended, and I laughed softly, enjoying their banter.

They all looked at me in surprise, making me feel self-conscious.

“You should laugh more, Senpai,” Kou said. “You have a really nice laugh.”

I ducked my head, knowing I was blushing. Rin leaned over and kissed the side of my head, making me\y blush darken.

Matsuoka-san put her head in her hands, shaking it. “What am I going to do with  you two? So adorable. My little Rin’s all grown up.”

“ _Mom_ ,” Rin mumbled, picking at his food. “Please stop.”

His mother laughed, and after that, I felt much more comfortable being there, answering questions with ease. When we were finished with dinner, I insisting on helping to clean up, despite Matsuoka-san’s protests. I helped Rin with the dishes, drying while he washed. We made small talk, though it consisted mostly of hims talking and me listening, which I was completely okay with.

It wasn’t too late when we were done cleaning up, so the four of us went into the sitting room to watch TV. Rin pulled me onto a couch with him while Kou insisted on picking a show to watch, flipping through the channels.

“My sweetheart’s already writing novels,” Rin whispered in my ear, stroking my hair. “I’m so insanely proud.”

I didn’t respond, instead bringing his hand to my lips and kissing his knuckles. We spent the rest of the evening in silence, watching television, though I was distracted by the soft kisses Rin would press into my hair every now and then. His hand never left mine, our fingers laced together.

The fear of showing affection in front of his mother that I once held had finally dissipated now that I had seen how accepting she was. It gave me hope that my own parents could be the same, and I held onto that hope as we cuddled together. At around 10:30, Matsuoka-san got up and stretched, leaning over to kiss Kou’s forehead.

“I’m off to bed, you three. Don’t stay up too late.”

“We’re not kids,” Rin argued, accepting a kiss on the forehead as well. He may argue with his mother, but it was obvious to anyone who looked that he loved her, and how much he cherished that kiss, as if he was a child once again.

I was expecting her to leave at that, but I was once again surprised when she bent over to kiss my forehead as well, smiling.

“Goodnight, Haru. Sleep well.”

“Goodnight, Matsuoka-san,” I responded, feeling like I could cry from the amount of love this woman showed.

She left then, heading upstairs. Kou followed soon after, leaving just me and Rin sitting on the couch.

“How about we head to bed too?” Rin asked, stifling a yawn.

I nodded in agreement, getting up while he turned off the TV. We went upstairs and to his room, and I rummaged through my bag to for night clothes and my toothbrush.

I used the bathroom first, changing and brushing my teeth before I surrendered it over to Rin. While I waited for him to come back, I made myself comfortable on the futon, pulling the blanket over me. I had my eyes closed when he came back, turning off the light and closing the door. I heard rustling as he got into bed, my back facing him.

“‘Night, Haru,” he said from behind me.

“Goodnight, Rin,” I said in return.

There was silence, and though the futon was comfortable and the blanket warm, I had trouble falling asleep. Perhaps it was being in a new place that made it hard to sleep, but half an hour later, I was still wide awake.

“Haru?” Rin’s soft voice startled me. I had been sure he was asleep judging by the silence. Now it was clear that he was as awake as I was.

“Yes, Rin?”

I heard him sigh, then hesitate. While I waited for him to say something, I turned over, able to make out his shape in the dark

“Do you wanna, um…” He sounded nervous, but he continued on quickly. “Do you wanna sleep with me?” When I didn’t answer due to the suddenness of the request, he quickly explained himself. “I mean like, just sleep. Just in the same bed. Nothing else.”

Ah, he must have thought I took it as a sexual way. I chuckled, removing the blanket off of me.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

I heard him sigh again, and I moved over to the bed. He scooted back, making space for me and I slipped under the covers with him.

The first thing that I noticed was that his chest was bare, and the fact made my breath hitch. He thankfully had pants on, but his torso was was just an inch away, and I found myself unable to stop as my fingers trailed over his bare bicep and to his collarbones. He was muscled, which I could always tell from the tight shirts he wore, but feeling it was a different matter. I had the urge to trance his entire chest with my fingers, to feel every line and hard muscle.

“Haru…” Rin’s breathy voice drew me back to my senses, and I pulled my hand away. I could just barely see his eyes in the dark, but I could see the love and want in them as clear as day. “Let’s sleep, okay?”

“Okay.”

I turned over so as to not be tempted by his skin again, my face burying into my pillow more when I felt his body press up flush against me from behind. I tried not to think of which parts of him were aligned where, instead choosing to focus on his arms as they wrapped around me and kept me warm

“I love you,” he breathed into my neck, kissing it.

“I love you too, Rin.”

He relaxed completely, cuddling close as he spooned me. I found that I quite enjoyed having his arms around me, and before I knew it, any lewd thoughts I had before were washed away as I felt sleep creeping up on me. I heard Rin’s breathing even out, and I found the hand that was lying on my chest and held it.

“I love you more than you can imagine,” I said, as I fell asleep in his warm embrace, thinking that this was how I’d like to fall asleep every night.

In the arms of the man that held me tight, whom I loved with every fiber of my being.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My longest chapter yet! REally hope you guys liked it, because it took a while to write. As always, thanks for reading and I'd love to hear your opinions!!!


	19. 'Tis the Season for Embarrassing Mothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas with the Matsuokas! Thoughtful gifts all around and family love make up a wonderful holiday.

Christmas Eve was an amazing affair.

My favorite part of the day had to have been waking up with a warm body pressed up against my chest. A smile found its way to my lips before I even opened my eyes. I snuggled closer to Haru’s beck, tightening my arms around him and burrowing my nose into the back of his neck. I breathed in the scent of ocean breeze that always stuck with him, before peppering his neck with tiny kisses.

“Mm, Haru, babe, time to get up,” I said, my voice husky with sleep. I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but I knew that if we didn’t get up soon, Mom would banging on my door and yelling that it was time for breakfast.

Haru curled up further, mumbling something about it being warm. I chuckled, renewing my attack on his neck, kissing harder and sucking gently. He moaned at that, sending a spark of heat through me. It was a miracle I hadn’t woken up with morning wood being pressed so close to Haru, but that would definitely change if we didn’t get out of bed soon.

I moved my lips to his ear, gently nibbling on it. “Come on, Haru. I’ll kiss you senseless later if you get up now.”

That made him stir, and he shifted to look back at me with sleepy blue eyes. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

I just about died at how low his voice was, the sexiness of it a huge contrast to his adorable expression. I gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, reluctantly disentangling my arms from around him.

“You have my word,” I promise, before leaving the warmth of my bed and a perfectly delectable Haru.

We got dressed and and headed downstairs together, finding Gou helping Mom with breakfast and the table mostly set.

“Good morning, boys!” Mom said warmly, accepting the kiss on the cheek I gave her. Haru was looking at us strangely, probably not used to seeing me be so affectionate with anyone other than him. But that was just how our family was: loving and close, making up for the fact that we were missing someone dear to us.

When Haru had dropped everything to pay his respect to my dad yesterday, my heart swelled with love and I wondered how I managed to find someone so incredible. Remembering it now, I gently kissed the top of his head. His eyes flickered over to my mom, a flash of worry crossing his features, but it was gone as soon as it came.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered in his ear. “Nobody’s going to judge us here.”

His answering smile was a little bit sad, and it broke my heart. I knew he was worried about what his own parents would think of our relationship, but I needed him to know that he could free to show his affection in our home without any backlash.

Mom did a great job at including Haru in everything, and for that I was grateful. When we all sat together to eat breakfast, she asked us all questions about school - or work, in my case - and announced that we’d be decorating the tree together.

“I picked up some new ornaments,” she said as we cleaned up. “I think you’ll like some of them, Rin.”

“Yeah?” I said, grinning.

Decorating the Christmas tree was always something I loved since I was a kid. Now, I'd get to decorate it with my family and boyfriend, and I couldn't think of anything better.

Once the dishes were all washed and put away, we migrated to the living room, where there were boxes sitting in one corner. The biggest one contained parts of the plastic tree we used every year, since Mom insisted that a real tree caused too much mess. I didn’t mind, and with help from Haru and Gou, we managed to get the tree up with little difficulty.

“Here we go,” Mom said, setting another, smaller box on the ground. “Go wild, kids. I have some grocery shopping to do, so I’ll leave you to it.”

“Be careful out there!” I called over my shoulder as I sat down by the box, opening it up. Once Mom was out the door, Gou and Haru joined me.

We took the tinsel out first, then sifted through the various ornaments that were familiar to me by now. I laughed when I saw the newer additions, holding them up for Haru to see.

“She was pretty prepared, wasn’t she?” I asked, handing him the ornaments and rummaging through the box to find some more. Haru looked over the baubles I’d handed him, a smile tugging at his lips. The ornaments were striped in a rainbow color, standing out from everything else and accurately portraying just how gay I was. Another bauble had two cartoon men on it, and even though I found it highly amusing, I had to wonder just where the hell Mom got it from.

There were a couple others that celebrated my gayness and the fact that I’d scored a boyfriend, and I laughed at every single one of them. We worked together to hang up the ornaments, and I let Gou put on the first one: a red, sparkly one that was her favorite. I followed up with a rainbow bauble, looking over to Haru to tell him to put on the next one.

I found him glancing from the tree to the ornament in his hand and back again.

“What’s up?” I asked, drawing Gou’s attention too.

Haru hesitated, looking at the tree with uncertainty. “I’ve never decorated a tree before,” he announced, drawing a gasp from both me and Gou.

“Haruka-senpai,” Gou said, obviously shocked, “you’ve _never_ decorated a Christmas tree?!”

Haru shrugged, eyeing the bauble. “Although my family does celebrate the holiday, we’ve never gotten a tree and taken the time to decorate it.”

As someone who did this every year, I couldn’t imagine not taking part in this kind of thing, especially with your family. I needed to make sure Haru experienced it at least once in his life, and hopefully every year after that. Making up my mind to make sure this Christmas was Haru’s best so far, I clapped him on the shoulder, grinning.

“Haru, I think it’s time to pop your tree-decorating cherry!” I exclaimed, earning a groan from Gou.

“Onii-chan! Did you _have_ to say it like that?”

“Come on, Gou. We need to make sure Haru has an awesome Christmas!”

She rolled her eyes, but smiled up at Haru. “Go on then, Senpai. Put up your first ever ornament!”

With Gou and I watching closely, Haru chose a blue bauble with snowflakes on it, shuffling awkwardly as if he wasn’t sure how to go about putting it up. His brows furrowed as he tried to find a good branch, slowly reaching out to hook the ornament on the branch. Carefully, he placed it on the placed, all three of us deathly silent until he pulled back, watching the bauble hang and glint in the light.

I started clapping dramatically, and Gou joined in. “Yeah! Haru just lost his Christmas tree virginity!”

My heart leaped when he laughed, shaking his head. “It does bring a sort of thrill,” he commented.

I knelt by the box again, grabbing handfuls of ornaments and handing them over to the other two. “Trust me, babe, the fun’s just getting started.”

We spent the next hour and a half covering every possible inch of the tree, decking it out in a ton of different colors. Haru was a bit awkward at first, the whole concept seeming foreign to him. Eventually, he loosed up with every addition he made, and I could plainly see that he was enjoying himself.

Halfway through, Gou started singing Christmas songs in her terrible accent. After laughing at her wholeheartedly and getting smacked for it, I joined in. Haru was adorably confused, so Gou and I took it upon ourselves to teach him some carols. It was hilarious seeing him struggling to memorize the words and tune, though he was reluctant to sing at all. I managed to coax him into it, and the three of us sang with all our hearts.

We were so caught up in decorating and singing horribly that we didn't even notice Mom come back. I caught a glimpse of her watching is from the doorway, a content smile on her face.

I stopped singing, taking a moment to just look around. The tree looked ridiculous with so many decorations; Gou was trying to convince Haru to let her sit on his shoulders so she could put the star on top. Haru was fighting a losing battle, and he knew it, but he was stubborn until the end. All in all, the atmosphere was light and cheery, and I found myself just observing the scene.

It felt right, seeing my little sister being so demanding with my boyfriend as we prepared for the holidays. It felt like home, like everything in the universe was exactly how it was supposed to be.

***

Christmas Eve passed by a flurry of snow and stolen kisses. We stayed inside in the warmth, busting out a board game we could all play, Mom joining in too. She ended up kicking our asses in it, but none of us really minded. After dinner came hot chocolate and a movie, and afterwards I dragged Haru upstairs, where I proceeded to kiss him senseless, just like I'd promised.

I was woken up on Christmas morning by the ringing of my phone and a very grumpy Haru grumbling at me.

"Rin," he said, cuddling up closer to my chest. "Answer that before I throw it out the window."

Well, someone wasn't a morning person. Still half asleep, I reached over him blindly to feel around for my phone, answering it without even looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" I mumbled, barely coherent.

"What the fuck is up with the gift you gave me?" Sosuke's voice said in my ear.

"Merry Christmas to you too," I replied sleepily.

"Yeah, yeah, Merry Christmas. But _Fifty Shades of Grey_? Really, Rin?"

"Hey, it's a damn good gag gift if it had you calling me at...whatever ungodly hour it is."

"It's nine, Rin. Aren't you usually the early riser?"

"You'd be tired too if you stayed up late making out with your hot boyfriend," I retorted, slowly starting to wake up more.

"I don't need to know what you do with Nanase. Spare me the details."

I cracked my eyes open to see that Haru had fallen back asleep, looking beyond cute while he was dead to the world.  I used one hand to card my fingers through his hair.

"Whatever," I said, smirking. "And don't act like you won't actually read the book. You'll probably love it."

"Don't even go there," Sosuke warned. "I'm going to burn it the first chance I get."

I actually didn't doubt that, but it was fun to tease him.

"Did you see what Keiji got you?" I asked, remembering the manga.

"Not yet." I could hear the frown in his voice, followed by suspicion. "Should I be worried?"

"You'll see," I said cryptically. "But I need to get up now, so you go ahead and enjoy that book of yours."

"Enjoy watching it burn, you mean," he said with distaste. His voice softened then, "Merry Christmas, Rin."

"You, too, Sosuke. Later."

I hung up and proceeded to wake Haru up the same way I did the day before. Before I headed out of my room, I dug through the suitcase I'd brought with me and pulled out the present Sosuke had gotten for me. It was an ongoing thing that we would exchange gifts before going to visit our families, but didn't open them until Christmas day. Now, I sat on my bed with the box in my lap, tearing up the wrapping paper. Lifting the lid of the box, I found a pair of fuzzy slippers that looked like bunnies.

They were a brightest pink I’d ever seen.

Shaking my head at how ridiculous the gifts we had gotten each other were, I snapped a picture of the slippers on my feet and sent it to Sosuke while Haru watched on.

“They suit you,” he teased.

“Oh, shut up,” I said without malice.

Next, I took a moment to send Levi a birthday text; he and Eren had went back to the States last months, but I still kept in touch with them. With that done, I took Haru by the hand and went downstairs for some food. We passed by the tree on our way to the kitchen, and I stopped for a second to admire it. Our presents sat neatly underneath it, and I was itching to tear mine open that second.

“Don’t even think about it.” Mom’s reproachful tone pulled me out of my paper-shredding fantasy, and I turned to see her looking at me sternly from the kitchen entrance. “No presents until you’ve all eaten breakfast and your sister gets up.”

Knowing not to argue, I sent one last longing glance at the pile of boxes before following behind her. Haru had already taken it upon himself to flip the bacon, the scene so sweetly domestic that I couldn’t help thinking that this was what I wanted to wake up to every morning.

We made quick work of scarfing down our breakfast (well, I did, anyway. Haru was refined and polite and Gou was still trying to completely wake up), and then I was dragging everyone to the living room like an excited child. Before I could even touch a box, something was thrown over my head and I was met with darkness. Grabbing at the material, I pulled it away from my face, groaning when I saw what it was.

“Don’t whine, Onii-chan!” Gou scolded, pulling her own hideous sweater over her head.

“Do we have to do this _every_ year?” I asked in a voice that most certainly was not a whine.

“Yes, now put it on.”

I shifted my gaze over to Haru, hoping he would refuse and I wouldn’t have to put it on either, but the bastard was just calmly slipping on a sweater of his own. It was a bright purple thing that hurt my eyes to look at, a giant tree printed on it. Of course he wouldn’t say no to putting on a sweater, no matter what it looked liked. Sighing in defeat, I put on the sweater that had been thrown at me: a forest green one with a reindeer on it.

“Happy now?” I asked irritably. “Can we get to the presents now?”

“Go ahead,” Mom consented, clad in her own horrendous sweater. Sometimes she tried to be a bit too Western.

With her okay, Gou and I immediately sat cross legged by the tree, joined by Haru a second later. He was fidgeting with the hem of his sweater, obviously a bit uncomfortable. He probably wasn’t used to this kind of thing, so I tried to soothe him by scooting closer, letting our thighs brush together. Then I grabbed a gift I’d wrapped myself and passed it over to Gou.

“Here, Gou. You can go first. This one’s from me.”

Gou looked excited, opening it as fast as she could. She squealed, a high-pitched sound that probably had dogs barking a mile away, when she saw the boots.

“Onii-chan!” She exclaimed, looking at the boots in awe. “They’re perfect!”

Pride and relief filled me as she tried the boots on, standing up to show us how they looked. Just like I’d thought, they looked great on her, and she seemed ecstatic.

“Your turn now!” She handed me a gift bag, which was a lot easier to work with than a wrapped box. Taking out the decorative paper first, I reached in to pull out what looked like a t-shirt. Unfolding it, I grinned when I saw that it was a black, short-sleeved Fall Out Boy shirt. I leaned over and pulled my little sister into a one-armed hug, kissing the top of her head.

“Thanks, Gou. I love it.”

She hugged back tightly before we split up, moving on the next presents. Haru went next, finding a small package with his name on it.

“That one’s from me,” Mom said from her spot on the couch beside us. Haru looked up, surprised.

“Matsuoka-san, you didn’t have to -,” he started, but was cut off by her.

“Don’t try to tell me that I didn’t have to,” she said firmly, but there was warmth in her eyes. “You’re going to have to understand that when you mean something to someone in this family, you mean something to the rest of us, too.”

Haru could only stare with wide eyes, mouth opening and closing like he was trying to find something to say.

“I -... Thank you, Matsuoka-san,” he said softly, ducking his head down. Mom smiled, and I have never loved her more than I did in that moment.

“Don’t thank me, just open the present and tell me if you like it!”

Haru did just that, tearing open the wrapping paper and chuckling at what he found. Curious, I looked over his shoulder. In his hands, he held a white picture frame, the borders painted with what looked like cherry blossoms. It was the picture inside the frame that caught my attention, though.

Staring back at us was a photograph of me from when I was about seven years old. I was grinning in the picture, my teeth showing and my expression the definition of pure joy. My arms were outstretched toward the sky, and cherry blossom petals were fluttering down on me.

Haru stared at he picture, fingertips brushing over the glass. Even I wasn’t expecting this, and I caught Mom’s eye. She just smiled, choosing to watch Haru with fondness.

“He loves cherry blossoms,” she said, making Haru look up. “He’s always said he’d want to swim in a pool full of them someday.”

Haru huffed a laughed, tracing the frame as if it was precious. “That sounds like something he would say.”

I didn’t bother to point out that I was literally sitting _right there_ , letting them have their moment instead.

“Thank you,” Haru said seriously. Mom moved over from the sofa to kneel down by him and give him a hug, making him suck in a breath. She moved back, ruffling his hair like she’d done to me a million times.

“You’re welcome, Haru.”

As Gou went to open the present Mom had given her, I couldn’t help but be curious as to why Mom would give Haru a childhood picture of me. We hadn’t been dating for long, so for her to gift such a thing to him must have meant she had faith that this would be a long term thing. My heart sped up at the thought, and I really, really hoped she was right.

Next it was my turn to see what Mom had gotten me, and I excitedly opened the box, unaware of her smirking behind me. As I pulled the lid off, any love I had for my mother was instantly replaced by embarrassment.

Inside the box was a pack of condoms and a large bottle of lubricant.

Gou burst out laughing, and I could feel the redness in my cheeks. I glared at my mother, quickly replacing the lid back on the box to hide the objects from sight, even though everyone had seen them already.

“Is it your job to humiliate me?” I asked, willing myself to stop blushing.

“Yes, actually,” she replied, “As a mother, I have to find ways to make sure my kids are embarrassed in the best of ways. Besides, your father’s not here to have the talk with you, so someone needs to encourage safe sex. Responsibility, Rin. and I expect you to be responsible, too.”

Okay, I could get why she would give me these, but did she really have to make it a present which I opened in front of my sister and boyfriend?

“You say that like I have some kind of disease. I’m going to bury these at the bottom of my suitcase,” I grumbled, putting the box to the side.

“You've been away for almost two years, I don't know what you've been getting up to."

"And let's keep it that way!"

"Just don't forget about them! Haru, make sure to remind this idiot to be safe, okay?”

Haru looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole, and I gladly would have joined him if he did. He just nodded, eyes meeting mine and flushing adorably. Well damn, if he kept looking like that, it would be hard to keep myself from thinking about what those condoms and lube could be used for.

“Moving on!” I exclaimed loudly, shoving Gou gently to make her stop laughing. She got herself under control, still giggling softly as she opened up Haru’s gift to her.

It was a bright red scarf that matched her hair and eyes, and she instantly fell in love with it, tackling Haru with a hug. He patted her back, then pulled his next present close to him. It was from Gou, and it was pretty big compared to everything else. Unwrapping it, it turned out to be a photo album that Haru opened curiously.

The first page of the album had pictures from their university campus. They were perfectly angled, bringing out the best of their subjects and including background. Haru’s gang was everywhere, some individual shots and some with all of them together. One picture showed Nagisa posing while he wore Rei’s glasses, another one depicting the four of them sitting under a tree and talking. As we flipped through the pages, we saw photos of the Sharkbait Crew, too. There was me standing behind the counter at the cafe, talking with Sosuke while I rested my chin on my palm. Then there was Momo and Ai, dressed up in their Naruto cosplay and laughing. There were pictures upon pictures, showing moments that we spent together or just candid shots that no one had any idea had been taken. And they all looked professional too, taken at just the right angle.

Half the book was filled with photos, the other half empty and begging to be filled.

“Kou… This is beautiful,” Haru said, eyes shining.

Gou smiled, playing with a strand of her hair, seeming a little embarrassed.

“I’m glad you like it, Senpai. I took the pictures with my phone, so they’re not that great. We can add more later on, too.”

Haru shook his head, reaching out to cup her arm. “They’re perfect, Kou. Thank you.”

His genuine love for the book made her beam. Looking at the pictures again, I couldn’t believe that they’d been taken by a phone. They looked professional, like someone had hired a photographer to take each and every one of them.

I told Gou this, wanting her to know that they really were beautiful, and her smile grew even wider.

Finally, there were just the gifts that Haru and I had to exchange left. I passed him mine, nerves building up, wondering if he’d like it. I watched with anxiety as he opened the present, pulling out the album first.

“One… Re-republic,” Haru said slowly, successfully reading the name. “Thank you, Rin. I’ll be sure to listen to it soon.”

Nodding, I motioned to box again. “There’s something else, too.”

Haru looked down again, surprised. I saw his expression morphing into one of complete awe as he pulled the drawing out. His eyes scanned over the page, taking in every deal while I held my breath, waiting for his opinion. When he made eye contact with me again, he smiled like the freakin’ sun.

“Did you draw this?” He asked.

“Yeah, I did,” I answered, a little self-conscious from the way Mom and Gou were trying  to look at the drawing too. “It was no big deal.”

“It’s a very big deal, Rin. I had no idea you had such talent.”

"Er, well... The dolphin and shark represent you and me. And the colors... Remember how your wrote in that poem how blue and red come together and make violet? That was the inspiration for that."

"It's perfect, Rin." His eyes shone with unshed tears, and he reached out to cup my cheek. "I'll treasure it."

And the next thing I knew, he was kissing me, soft and sweet. I was inwardly jumping in victory that he was finally comfortable enough to kiss me in front of my family. I kissed back, remembering to keep it family friendly and not get too carried away.

"I'm glad you like it," I whispered when we broke apart.

"I'd love anything from you." He ran a hand through my hair, kissing my forehead before pulling away. "I... I'd like to give you your gift later tonight, if I could."

"Oooh," Gou said, an evil glint in her eye. "Remember what I said about keeping it down!"

"And protection," Mom added.

"Th-that's not - I wasn't..." Haru tried to say, flustered and blushing. He turned to me, trying to explain himself. “Rin, it’s not - not _that_.”

“Shh, I know, babe.” I comforted, lacing our fingers together. “Ignore them. You can give it to me whenever you want.”

He nodded, cheeks still pink. Thankfully, the girls stopped teasing and Haru relaxed again.

With presents out of the way, I got ready to help Mom with Christmas dinner. I liked helping out because not only did it take less time with two people manning the kitchen, but I got to spend some time with Mom, too. And because if Gou helped out, we’d all die of food poisoning.

Gou had decided that she needed to teach Haru more Christmas songs, so I left her to it while I joined Mom in the kitchen. I could faintly hear them talking, and it was really funny listening to Gou’s broken English and Haru’s attempts to follow her lead.

“Stop grinning and start chopping,” Mom ordered, dropping a ton of vegetables onto the counter in front of me.

“Yes ma’am,” I responded, though the grin stayed on my face.

With the sleeves of my sweater rolled up and my hair tied back in a short ponytail, I got to chopping the vegetables while Mom took care of the turkey, the stuffing having been made the night before to speed things up. We navigated easily around each other, a routine built up from years of cooking this same meal. We made light conversation as we went about our tasks, mom asking me about life at the Cafe, and my friends. I told her how Sosuke had confessed to me, but she wasn’t surprised at all. Had literally everyone known about his feelings except me? She was relieved to hear that he was taking the rejection well, and that he found a possible boyfriend if he could just man up and admit that he actually kind of liked Keiji.

Speaking of Keiji, I was checking up on the turkey in the oven when my phone buzzed in my pocket, alerting me of a text message.

_**From: Keiji** _

_omg sosuke just called me about his present. he was flipping shit about the yaoi! said first u and fifty shades, and now he has a gay porn book. woulda loved to see the look on his face!!!!_

Before I could reply, he followed up his text with another one:

_**From: Keiji** _

_he did say he liked the first manga tho. he sounded kinda touched. thanks man, for helping me pick it out_

Smiling at both Sosuke’s reaction to the yaoi and Keiji’s gratitude for helping him pick out the other manga, I shot back a quick reply before pocket my phone and getting started on the mashed potatoes.

“You’ve been smiling a lot more,” Mom observed from where she was filling the pie for dessert.

I shrugged, smiling wider and making sure the potatoes weren’t lumpy.

“It’s a good look on you,” she said warmly. “I guess I should be thankful to your friends and Haru for making you so happy.”

“I’ve always been a happy person,” I argued half heartedly, though I couldn’t deny that my friends had a great influence on my happiness.

Mom huffed, giving me a skeptical look.

“You were the angstiest middle schooler I’d ever seen, Rin. I was so glad when you finally started to figure out who you were as a person. Your anger toned down when you decided you liked dicks and wanted to look like a punk, and I was just glad you weren’t causing me so many headaches.”

“I do not look like a punk!” I sputtered. “... Okay, maybe just a little. But come on, I wasn’t that bad.”

“You could’ve been worse, but you were angry a lot of the time.”

“Yeah, but I was just confused,” I mumbled, recalling that time a few years ago. “I still made sure you and Gou knew I loved you.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m just saying you look a lot happier. I’ll admit I was worried when you wanted to live on your own, but maybe it was a good idea, now that I think about it. You’ve grown a lot in the time you’ve been away. I’m proud of you, Rin.”

I could feel my throat getting tight with emotion, and I took a deep breath to keep the tears at bay. I didn’t want to cry, not when mom had just said she was proud of me. But her words were hammering away at the dam that held back my tears, and I couldn’t stop myself from enveloping her in a hug.

“I’ve missed you, Mom,” I whispered, swallowing the sob that threatened to escape. She held me tight, a hand rubbing soothingly up and down my back.

“I missed you too, honey. I’m so glad I get to see my babies again.”

She let me compose myself, my head resting on her shoulder. It must’ve been quite a sight, given that I was a few inches taller than her, but I didn’t care. She only let go of me when I was sure I wouldn’t cry, wiping my eyes for any stray tears.

“I’m happier knowing you have Haru, too,” she said, looking at me seriously. “All joking aside, I hope you can keep him in your life for a very long time. He’s good for you.”

I was glad to have her approval, though I had never doubted that she would love Haru.

“Yeah, I know. And Mom… Thanks for making him feel like family. He - he needs that. He needs to know that you accept him.”

She raised her eyebrow in question, but I shook my head, not wanting to talk about Haru’s fears. It wasn’t my place to say so, and thankfully it seemed like she understood that I wouldn’t explain.

“I’m not really doing anything,” she said with a chuckle. “I meant what I said. If you love him, then that’s reason enough for me to treat him like family.”

I looked at her gratefully, deciding that even though she embarrassed my ass off today, she was one hell of a Mom.

With the emotional stuff out of the way, we went full steam ahead with the cooking. Mom baked the pie and I cut and arranged a plate of fruit to look like a snowman. The turkey looked amazing, and I made sure to grill up some mackerel for Haru. If anything would make him happy, having mackerel on Christmas would.

Thinking of Haru led me to wondering what the present he wanted to give me was. Mom and Gou obviously thought it would be sex, but I was pretty sure Haru wouldn’t do that. Not that the thought of sex with Haru wasn’t amazing; it was those fantasies I often got off to in the shower, but while I was always up to a little experimentation, I didn’t think I was ready to go all the way, our relationship being so new and all. I had a feeling Haru was even less ready than me.

I found myself looking forward to the mystery gift more than anything. I knew Haru could be creative and thoughtful, if the book he wrote for Makoto was anything to go by, so I couldn’t help but wonder what mine would be.

Dinner was boisterous and delicious. Everyone was talking and discussing plans for the week while we ate. Gou wanted to go ice skating, and I readily agreed, looking forward to it. Haru claimed that he had no experience, so I promised to teach him. I suggested that we should have a video game tournament, and while Gou said that it would be too boring, Haru’s eyes flashed with competitive spirit. Haru himself said he would enjoy doing anything the rest of us picked, and I didn’t doubt that. He looked like he was having fun, being here with us.

After dinner, we all got drinks (non-alcoholic, because that shit was bad for the body and because Mom made it clear that we were underage. It didn’t stop her from having some wine for herself, though) and I put on some music. Gou wanted to choose the songs, but I pointed out that she got to pick last year, and that it was my turn this time. So I put on a playlist of some of my favorite bands and Mom started a fire in the fireplace. Before we could curl up in front of it, she demanded a photo of all of us. I tried to take off my ugly sweater, but Gou forced me to keep it on, giving me her trademark glare. Sighing, I stood with her and Haru, my arm wrapping around his waist while Gou latched onto my other arm. Mom snapped a picture, and it turned out great, especially since Haru was smiling.

I sat glued to Haru’s side in front of the fireplace, occasionally sipping my soda. Gou and I told stories from our childhood, reminiscing about the time she broke her arm from trying to climb up a tree, or when my baby teeth fell out and were replaced by the pointy ones I have now. In turn, Haru told us about his favorite memories, like when he went to the beach with Makoto’s family when he was a kid, and instantly fell in love with the ocean. He told us how Makoto used to be shorter than him, and would hide behind him whenever he got scared.

It was relaxing and enjoyable, telling stories while music played in the background. During a lull in the conversation, a new song started playing, and I perked up when I heard the opening drum beats. I wanted Haru to listen to the song, but while I knew he would be able to understand some of it, I also knew he wouldn’t be able to grasp the lyrics of the entire songs. But it didn’t matter, because I could always sing it to him in Japanese in time with the song, and that’s just what I did.

Leaning in close to his ear, I sung the words softly to him:

_I need your love to light up this house_

_I wanna know what you're all about_

_I wanna feel you feel you tonight_

_I wanna tell you that it's alright_

His breath caught in his throat, and for the moment, I pretended that he and I were the only ones in the room.

_I need your love to guide me back home_

_When I'm with you, I'm never alone_

_I need to feel you feel you tonight_

_I need to tell you that it's alright_

As I sang softly, I started to sway with the music, holding him close.

_We'll never be as young as we are now_

_It's time to leave this old black and white town_

_Let's seize the day_

_Let's run away_

_Don't let the colors fade to grey_

_We'll never be as young as we are now_

_As young as we are now_

I sang the rest of the song to him, and even though it wasn’t the softest song in the world, it was still beautiful and I knew he could appreciate the lyrics. When the song came to an end, he was left staring at me, love clear in his eyes.

“Rin…” he started, but I quickly shut him up with a kiss.

“Go put on a jacket, babe. I wanna show you something.”

With that command in place, I left him sitting there confused while I went to put on my shoes and a jacket of my own. He slowly copied my movements, and once he was bundled up, I took his hand and led him outside the house, leaving Mom and Gou behind, glad that no one called me out on how cheesy I was being.

I led Haru around the back of the house, trying to navigate with the just the moonlight. I was relieved to find the ladder where I left it: propped up against the side of the house. Nudging Haru forward, I held the ladder in place.

“Climb on up,” I said. He still looked confused, but obeyed without question.

Once he was up on the roof, I quickly made my way up, too. I crawled onto the roof, brushing off snow and finding the flattest part to sit down on. Haru sat next to me, his hand finding mine.

“I came up here a lot as a kid,” I explained. “Pretty nice, isn’t it?”

The night sky was clear, the moon shining down and every star visible from where we sat. I could make out some constellations, though I wasn’t exactly sure about the correct terminology for all of them. The air was bitingly cold, but snuggling up next to Haru kept me warm.

“Like so many things I’ve seen today, it’s beautiful,” Haru said softly.

I hummed, letting the silence take over as we stared at the sky. Haru’s head rested on my shoulder, his hair tickling my cheek. I idly wondered how I had enjoyed sitting here alone before, now that I knew how it felt so share this space with him.

“Keiji said I should do something with my art,” I said out of nowhere. Haru didn’t seem very surprised, only nodding his head.

“It sounds like a fantastic idea,” he agreed. “It’s an option, and I fully support it, now that I’ve seen how talented you are.”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it a lot since he said it. I’m just not sure what kind of field I want to go into with it.”

“Well if all else fails, you could consider becoming a musician. You have a nice voice.”

“Maybe I will,” I laughed.

The silence settled over us once again, comfortable and serene. It was only broken by Haru’s soft sigh.

“It would have been romantic if I had given you your gift up here,” he said ruefully, “but I left in inside my bag.”

“It’ll still be romantic no matter what,” I assured, even more curious as to what the present was.

We sat up there stargazing until our cheeks were numb, kissing chastely every now and then. We only decided it was time to go back in when the cold began to seep into our bones. The house was blissfully warm, and although I wanted to go straight for the fireplace, Haru took my hand and dragged me away, pulling me up the stairs. Excitement bubbled up in my chest, knowing that I was about to get my present.

I sat on my bed while Haru dug through his duffle bag, coming away with a small box in his hands. I instantly zeroed in on it, curious. The object was obviously very small, because the box was tiny. It wasn't wrapped, but the lid had a small bow stuck to it. Haru sat down next to me, turning to face me.

"At first, I wasn't sure what to get you," he began, eyeing the box in his hands. "But after a while of brainstorming, I concluded that it should be something you can keep with you at all times, something that is clear you have an interest in." Smiling softly, Haru held out the box to me. "Merry Christmas, Rin."

I took the box from him, hesitating for just a second before taking the lid off.

Inside was single earring, glinting in the light. It was silver, made in the shape of an infinity symbol. The top left side of the silver had three blue gems inlaid in it, while the bottom right had three red stones. It was gorgeous, and I couldn't take my eyes away from the earring, examining it closely.

"Holy crap," I whispered, already imagining how it would look on my ear. "This is amazing, Haru."

"I'm glad you like it." He sounded relieved, so I made sure to look straight into his eyes.

"I don't just like it, I love it. You're coming with me tomorrow and I'm getting my earlobe pierced."

He looked surprised, as if he wasn't actually expecting me to get a new piercing with the earring.

"I... Alright," he agreed, relaxing.

"It'll look good on my right ear, don't you think?" I asked, imagining it.

"It would look good on either ear, I think. But if the right one is what you prefer, then you should get the right one pierced."

Making up my mind to pierce my right ear and excited about the prospect of getting a new piercing, I glanced at the glittering gems inside the box one more time before replacing the lid on it. I put the box on my nightstand, where it would be safe but also in sight so I wouldn't forget. Then I turned back to Haru, touched by his thoughtfulness.

"More symbolism with the stones, huh?" I said, lying down on the bed and gesturing for him to do so too. He did, his front pressed to my side and his head on my shoulder.

"Of course. I was pleasantly surprised when I found this. I had a feeling you'd like it."

"I really do," I confirmed, nuzzling into his hair. He sighed contentedly, his arm draping over my chest.

We didn't bother going downstairs again, instead choosing to have this time for ourselves. Even with how big my bed was, Haru didn't move away an inch, but I wasn't complaining. I really liked having him so close, absorbing his body heat and being able to run my fingers through his hair.

"Thank you for such a memorable Christmas," he muttered, kissing my neck. "I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend it."

I stretched my neck back, giving him easier access to pepper it with kisses. "I invited you over because I'm selfish. I just wanted to have you with me."

"Still, I appreciate it." He made his point by sucking gently at my pulse point, sending fire through my veins and making me gasp.

"I'm just... glad you're having a good time," I said, breathless from how he was mouthing at my neck, tongue tracing along it. God, it felt so damn good. My eyes closed, and I surrendered myself to the feeling of his lips lazily exploring.

What really drove me crazy was when he started gently nibbling. My eyes flew open, and in an instant I was on him, holding myself up above him. He was shocked by the sudden movement, deep blue eyes unblinking from where they studied my face.

"Fuck, Haru..." Before he could scold me for swearing, I crashed my mouth against his, moving our lips together. His didn't waste time responding, his fingers coming up to thread through my hair.

Our tongues slid against each other, the kiss positively filthy. I sucked on his tongue, drawing a moan from him and feeling my jeans tighten from the sound. I was getting so hard so fast, and the way I was pressed on top of him wasn't helping any.

Lost in the feeling of my lower lip between his teeth, I rolled my hips down against his, making us both gasp. He was just as hard as I was.

"Rin..." Haru moaned, pupils blown so wide that only a small ring of blue was visible.

I slowly grinded our hips together, sending sparks of pleasure up my spine.

"Haru.. Haru, can I touch you?" I asked, kissing at his jaw.

He stilled beneath me, making me pull back in worry. He looked flustered and apprehensive, and I ignored my aching dick to focus on making sure that expression was gone as soon as possible.

"Hey," I said gently, "forget about it. We can just make out if you want to."

He turned his head to the side, his cheeks red.

"I have no experience," he confessed. "At all, really. I was always so caught up in my studies that I never even considered a relationship."

"I don't have much either," I comforted. "I've never gone all the way before, and I really don't expect us to any time soon. And we don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with right now. I don't want to move too fast."

"I want to feel you," he told me, and the look in his eyes assured me he was serious. "Perhaps not completely, not all the way, but..." He pulled me down by shirt, his lips coming to rest at my ear. "My cock is begging for your touch."

I shivered, unable to believe that Haru, who had been shy just a moment before, was telling me wanted my hands on his dick. But if that's what he wanted, who was I to say no?

"Are you sure?" I asked, my body begging for contact but my mind insisting that I make sure that this was what he wanted.

"Yes," came his answer, accompanied by a roll of his hips.

"Fuck." I lifted myself up, sitting back on my knees and looking down at Haru, who was pinned beneath me. Without breaking eye contact, I slowly lifted my sweater, taking the shirt along with it and exposing my chest and muscles. I took them both off, tossing them somewhere behind me before I leaned down again, capturing his mouth with my own.

His hands immediately began exploring my chest, a lot like the other night when his fingertips had been roaming my bicep and collarbones. Now, his hands ran across every plane of my chest, brushing over my nipples and slowly sliding up my back. My lips moved to his jaw, where I mouthed my way down to his neck and began to suck, all the while grinding our hips together.

His breath came out heavy and quick, whimpering when I gave a particularly strong suck that was sure to leave some kind of mark.

"Shirt, off," I commanded, catching my own breath. I moved to let him sit up, helping him out of his sweat and shirt. It was the first time I got to see his chest, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it nicely toned. Not as much as mine, but I didn't expect it to be since I spent half my time at the gym, but he looked damn good. I wanted to explore that chest with my tongue, but now wasn't the time. My goal for now was to make sure that chest was splattered in white.

As soon as he laid back down again, I was picking up where I left off. While I gently bit at his neck, my fingers found one of his nipples, which I rolled between my fingers. He moaned loudly, clapping a hand over his mouth as soon as the sound left him.

"Someone's sensitive," I teased, continuing to play with the small bud. My mouth lowered onto the other one, and I teased it with my tongue, getting it nice and wet. Liking the way he drew in a breath at my actions, I blew onto it.

"Ah!" His hips bucked up, fingers clutching at my hair tightly and keeping my head in place. Unable to move, I took his nipple into my mouth, rolling my piercing against it. "Rin!" He moaned, arching his back.

His cries of pleasure were really getting to me at that point, my pants feeling uncomfortably tight. I finally dislodged my lips from his chest, letting my hand slide down until I reached the hem of his jeans.

"Can I?" I asked, wanting to make sure he really was okay with it.

He nodded, loosening his hold on my hair. I looked down so I could see what I was doing, and I began unbuckling his belt. While he tried to calm his breathing, I unzipped his jeans, sitting up so I could take them off. Ever so slowly, I slid the fabric off his legs, leaving him only in his blue boxers.

Damn, did he had nice legs.

The front of his boxers was slightly damp from precum, his bulge obvious and making me want to rid him of his underwear. Before I could, though, I found myself being flipped over onto my back, nimble fingers working on unzipping my own pants.

I didn't protest, instead sliding my hands up and down his sides while he worked on my jeans. Soon enough, I felt them being tugged down, and I lifted my hips to make the job easier.

With both of us left only in our boxers, it was a lot easier to feel him pressing up against me. Our clothed erections slid against each other, the thin fabric covering them creating the best friction.

"You're gorgeous," Haru breathed into my skin, hips bearing down on mine.

"Not as gorgeous as you," I retorted, finding myself short of breath as I grabbed him by the ass and pulled him down onto me. "And why the fuck are we still wearing underwear?"

For once, he didn't call me out on swearing, need clearly written on his face.

"We should fix that." And fix it he did, his fingers hooking under the elastic of my boxers and pulling down.

My cock spring free, hard and heavy against my stomach, precum beading at the tip. For a moment, Haru's gaze was locked on it, adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. I brought him back to the present by tugging at his boxers, urging him to take them off. He did, sliding them down his beautiful legs and exposing his cock to me.

I felt like I got harder just looking at it; it was a nice size, a little short than mine but a little bigger when it came to girth. It was probably the prettiest cock I'd ever seen (not that I've seen a lot of dicks in my life).

I reached out to wrap my hand around it, making him close his eyes at the sensation. Though my own cock was begging to be touched, I ignored it in favor of slowly sliding my hand up and down his length.

"Ohh, Rin..."

Taking that as a good sign, I increased the speed of my hand, feeling his legs tighten around my waist from where he was straddling me.

"Feel good?" I asked, taking my own length into my other hand to relieve some of the pressure.

He nodded, words failing him. He saw me stroking himself and his eyes narrowed, his hand coming up to bat mine away. He took me into his hand, making me suck in a breath because _fuck_ , someone else's touch was a lot different than my own and it felt perfect.

He leaned down to kiss me again, all tongue and wet noises as we jacked each other off. My hand trailed up his chest, coming to rest on his shoulder, which I used to my advantage to push him gently and switch our positions again. As soon as he was underneath me, I became more forceful with our kisses, ravishing his mouth until he was gasping for air.

I rubbed my hips down, moving my fingers to have my hand encircle both of our cocks, guiding him to do the same. I moaned, feeling my heated flesh come into contact with his. Our precum made it easier to rub our cocks together, sending wave after wave of pleasure crashing over me.

I knew I wouldn't last very long, my orgasm already starting to build. We weren't even kissing anymore, just breathing in the same air as we tried to fill our lungs.

"I love you, Haru," I managed to get out, hand moving quickly over our cocks.

"I love you too, Rin," he panted, hips bucking up wildly.

Haru twisted his hand in just the right way, thumb swiping over my slit, and that was it for me. I came all over our chests, biting down on Haru's neck to muffle my voice. Our hands were still working me through the orgasm, and bringing Haru up to his. When I became too sensitive, I slipped my cock out of our hold and focused entirely on making him cum. I moved his hand away, taking it all upon me to stroke him. One hand tugged at his length, twisting on the upstroke, and the other fondled his balls and drew out the most beautiful noises from him. Just three strokes later, he moaned and stilled beneath me, hands clutching at the pillow underneath his head as his back arched and he shot his load across his chest, mixing with my own.

His face when he came was something I was sure to file away forever, all pink cheeks and slightly parted lips. I slowed down the movement of my hand and eventually came to a stop when he relaxed, melting into the bed. His eyes opened and found mine, looking thoroughly pleased and as if he would fall asleep any second.

"That was..."

"Fucking awesome?" I supplied, earning a soft laugh from him.

"Yes, yes it was."

I still felt pleasant tingles all throughout my body, but I didn't let myself fall into bed and pass out yet. First, I needed to clean up the cum from our chests.

I slowly stood up, my legs feeling like jelly as I searched for the box of tissues I always kept in my room.

"You have a tattoo." Haru's awed voice made me look over my shoulder, and I saw him looking at my back from where he lay.

"Oh. Yeah, I do. I got it a while ago, actually."

"I'm surprised I didn't see it until now."

"Well, you have been half asleep every morning while I got dressed," I pointed out, finally locating the tissues. I pulled a few out, wiping up the mess on my own chest and my now limp dick before sitting on the bed next to Haru and wiping him down. Even his softening cock looked incredible, and I swore to myself that I would get it into my mouth one of these days.

I threw away the tissues into the trash can by my bed, finally laying down next to Haru and pulling the blanket over us.

"Can I touch your tattoo?" He asked.

I was surprised, but I nodded, sleepily turning over so he could examine my back. I felt his fingertips brushing over the spot where the ink was, and I shivered, remembered where those hands had been just minutes before.

"Tattoos suit you," Haru concluded, making me smile.

"Glad you approve of them, because I was thinking about getting a fee more."

"They have their own sexual appeal, so I wouldn't be opposed to them."

I laughed, turning back around and tangling our legs together under the blanket.

"Maybe you should get one too, then. Though you don't need a tattoo to be sexy."

It was his turn to chuckle, and then he was looking at me with so much love that it made my very core feel warm.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I responded, the warmth of his body and the softness of the mattress making me drowsy.

We kissed lazily for a while, tired from the day and the mind blowing orgasm. We kissed until we were barely conscious, until our eyes refused to open and our breathing evened out.

And when we fell asleep, cuddled up close without a care in the world, my last coherent thought was that I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what people do on Christmas because I don't celebrate myself, so sorry if this chapter lacked the festive flair!  
> If you guys wanna check out the song Rin was singing, you can search for 5sos - Never Be.


	20. Welcoming the New Year With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new year begins, the start of many more for Rin and Haru.

The days leading up to the new year passed by in a frenzied haze. The first thing I did the day after Christmas was take Haru and visit the shop where I got my first piercing done. There, I got my right earlobe pierced for the earring Haru had given me. I was sure it would look amazing when I finally put it in. I left the shopping positively beaming, instructions on how to take care of it for the next few weeks in mind.

We made the most of the days we all spent together. Haru, Gou, and I went ice skating, and though we had Gou with us Haru and I counted it as our second official date. I made a mental note to make sure our next date would be spent alone together.

It was one of the best days I’d ever had, though. Gou raced expertly across the ice, but Haru oozed nerves as he put the skating shoes on. I did my best to calm him down as I led him onto the ice, holding both of his hands. He held onto me in a death grip, eyes focused on his feet as he moved slowly. I had a lot of experience skating on ice, so it was easy for me to skate backwards and guide him, finding it adorable how frightened he was.

He slipped at one point, letting out a soft squeak he would later deny, and threw his arms around me in an attempt to balance himself. I caught him, arms wrapping around his middle and laughing softly. When he straightened, an embarrassed flush staining his cheeks as he glared at me for laughing, the only thing I could do was laugh harder and kiss his nose, not caring about whoever saw.

After that, he started to get a hang of it, gaining confidence and finally being able to skate on his own. The three of us played tag, Gou and I having an unfair advantage, though Haru refused to give in. I stole kisses whenever I could, getting a few strange looks from other people. By the end of the day, our skin was cold and our cheeks pink from laughing so much.

The rest of the week passed in a similar fashion, including laughter, great food, and movies with hot chocolate. Haru and I could barely keep our hands off each other; more often than not, we would spend most of the evening locked in my room, our hands fisting each other’s erections while we kissed sloppily and moaned into each other’s mouths, doing our best to keep quiet.

On New Year’s Eve, we got to work early. Mom had an entire list of chores that needed to be done, and with an extra person to help this year, we were able to divide the rooms than needed to be cleaned  up evenly. We each had our own clipboards for the rooms we chose, a check box next to each task that needed to be completed. Haru took his chores on without complaint, Mom directing us like a drill sergeant. I did a thorough cleaning of my room, dusting every inch and throwing out the trash, erasing any evidence of what we did late at night. I took one of the bathrooms, too, tying my hair back and putting on a tank top and shorts before scrubbing it down, making it spotless.

I caught Haru as he was coming up the stairs, eyes focused on the clipboard in front of him. I grabbed his arm, pulling him to me and into the hall, pushing him back against the wall.

“Sorry you have to get dragged into cleaning with us,” I muttered, my lips skimming over his jaw.

He tilted his head back to give me better access, letting out a soft sigh of contentment.

“Don’t apologize,” he said as I kissed the side of his face. “I did this at home every year, too. It makes no difference to me, and it’s the least I can do after you’ve been hosting me for so long.”

“Still, I wish we could escape to my room instead.”

After sucking lightly on his skin, I moved my lips to his and kissed him deeply, my hands gripping his lips. He responded enthusiastically, one arm clutching the clipboard to his chest while his free hand slipped under my shirt. I shivered at the feeling of his fingers trailing up my chest, and I pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. The heat in my body was beginning to build, but he pulled back before things got out of hand.

“We should finish our chores,” he said lowly, eyes dark and lips shining with our saliva. “Kissing in the hall isn’t very appropriate, Rin.”

I knew he had a point; I would never hear the end of it if we were caught grinding on each other in the middle of the hall. Still, that didn’t stop me from claiming one last kiss, only stepping back when I was satisfied with the way his breathing was labored.

“Later,” I promised, my eyes scanning over his body once, before I smirked and walked back to my room to check off my own list.

Once the last chore on my list was checked off, I went down to the living room to find an exhausted Gou lying on the ground, arms spread out with her eyes closed.

“Gou, get up,” I told her.

She let out a whine, cracking an eye open. “But I’m tired, Onii-chan! And I can’t lie down on the couch until Mom inspects everything. I hate New Year’s cleaning.”

I shook my head at her overdramatics. “It’s not that bad. And we even had Haru to help this year, so stop complaining.”

Speaking of Haru, he came down at that exact moment, seemingly done with his chores too. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Gou, who had her eyes closed again, but didn’t say anything. With the three of us done, I called Mom and she spent the next ten minutes inspecting every nook and cranny of the house, swiping her finger across every surface to check for dust. I held my breath, knowing that if she found even a speck of dust, we’d have to clean the whole room again.

After her thorough investigation, Mom turned to us with a big smile. “Good job, kids, the place is spotless!”

I let out a big sigh of relief, Gou cheering and Haru as silent as always.

After that, Mom and I got Haru  to make mochi with us. Gou instantly pouted, wanting to be a part of it too, but I looked her right in the eye.

"You're going to kill us all if you cook," I deadpanned, turning back to the mochi afterward. I tuned out her complaining, focusing on the way Haru sat shoulder to shoulder with me. It felt right, going through all of these New Years traditions with Haru being a part of it. I had no idea how I celebrated the years before without him. He just… fit.

I looked up from my task when a phone started to ring, which turned out to be Haru’s. After glancing at the screen, he stood up, shooting me a quick look before leaving the room. Just before he exited, he answered the phone and I could only pick up one word: “Mother”. I was curious of what she had to say, a fresh wave of irritation washing over me because what kind of parent was too busy to visit their son on New Years? My grumpiness must have been obvious from my sudden quietness and the set of my shoulders because Mom raised an eyebrow, Gou looking at me with curiosity.

“Everything okay?” Mom asked, getting the pot ready.

“Yeah, fine,” I mumbled, trying to keep an ear out in case I could pick up on Haru’s conversation. I couldn’t hear a thing; Haru probably went to a further room to talk.

“Is that his parents on the phone?” she questioned casually.

“Seems like it.”

There was a pause in which Mom adjusted the heat and Gou listened with rapt attention.

“Are they… not supportive?” Mom finally asked, in a tone that was curious but also cautious.

I let out a small sigh, eyes flickering over to the kitchen entrance.

“Dunno, he hasn’t told them anything yet. But he doesn’t think they’d like it too much.”

She nodded, and I swear I heard to her whisper under her breath, “Assholes.”

I felt my lips threatening to break out into a smile, but I managed to control myself.

“Well, whatever happens, we’re always here for him. For both of you.”

I turned to find her looking at me with conviction before she resumed her cooking. I felt a slight tug on the back of my shirt, looking over my shoulder to see Gou sitting on the table behind me with fire in her eyes.

“Always,” she repeated, and that finally made my smile uncontainable. I nodded, not knowing what to say, but thankful all the same.

Haru walked back in just then, and I questioned him silently as he approached. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, taking his place beside me again. I relaxed a little, taking it to mean that everything was fine, most likely just the usual check-in.

Mom and Gou acted like we never had that short conversation between the three of us, but I could see Mom making sure that Haru was even more involved in the cooking and activities.

The afternoon was pleasant, filled with light conversation, jokes, and lots of food. We got New Year’s cards from each of our friends, having sent our own out the day before. During the evening, Haru and I sat on the roof again, talking softly to each other and gazing at the stars. Contentment washed over me, and I decided that I really wouldn’t trade any of this for the world. I had my family and a wonderful boyfriend; life was pretty damn sweet.

As midnight approached, we all went to get changed so we could head down to the local shine.

“I don’t have a kimono with me,” Haru admitted, looking uncertain. “I didn’t have a chance to go back home, so it didn’t occur to me that I’d need one.”

I kissed his cheek on the way to my closet, opening it and sorting through the few kimonos I owned.

“Don’t worry about it,” I reassured. “I have a few. We’re almost the same size, so there should be something that’ll fit you.”

He joined me at the closet as I pulled out two that I thought would look nice on him. One of them was black, with light gray trimming. It was plain, but went well with his hair. The other was midnight blue with white circular designs. He surveyed them both, then reached out and took the blue one from me.

“I think I’ll borrow this one,” he announced while I put the other one back. “Thank you, Rin.”

“No problem,” I said, pulling out my own kimono. It was pure white with pink sakura flowers decorating it, the one that was my absolute favorite. Some people might’ve thought it looked girly, but I honestly didn’t give a crap.

We changed together, me helping him with his sash turning a little more sexual than necessary, but somehow we managed to get our clothes on without taking too long. We met the girls by the door, who were both wearing deep red kimonos, and locked up before leaving the house. Thankfully, it wasn’t snowing, but it was still freezing cold as we shuffled along. We walked close to each other, and after looking around to make sure no one was looking, I stealthily slipped my fingers through Haru’s. He moved closer, probably in an attempt to further hide our hands, but didn’t protest.

More families came into view the closer we go to the shrine, and eventually Haru and I had to let go of each other’s hands. Everyone stood in line to ring the bell and pray, mentally counting down the seconds till the clock struck midnight. As the bell chimed for the first time and everyone celebrated the arrival of the new year, I quickly looked around for prying eyes before leaning in close to Haru.

“Happy New Year, Haru,” I whispered in his ear.

He smiled, looking up at me. “Happy New Year, Rin.”

Our first kiss of the New Year was short but sweet, hoping no one saw but partially not caring even if someone did. No one called us out, though, so we were safe. We could kiss more later, in the privacy of my bedroom, so for now we chatted with Mom and Gou until it was our turn to ring the bell and pray.

We stood side by side, praying for the health of our families and for a prosperous year. In my heart, I also prayed that this relationship with Haru would be a long-term thing, because even this early in our relationship, I couldn’t imagine not being with him. When we were done, Mom led us off to the side, Gou and I knowing perfectly well what was coming next. Haru was eyeing the other families, not really paying attention as Mom pulled out three red envelopes.

“Alright kids, here’s your New Year’s money,” she said, much to Gou’s excitement. I was always happy to get some extra cash, though for a few years now I’d told Mom that she didn’t have to worry about me. She never listened to me, though, always giving me and Gou money no matter what. She handed Gou an envelope first, who ripped it open in a flash. Apparently she wasn’t expecting what was inside, because she raised her brow in confusion. Mom handed me mine, next, but I tucked it away for later. I had made sure to save up any New year’s or birthday money I got, especially now since I lived on my own and had bills to pay.

Though this whole routine was familiar, what wasn’t to norm was when Mom stepped up to Haru with the last red envelope.

“Haru,” she said gently, catching his attention. She held out the envelope for him. “This one’s yours.”

Haru stared at it, as if trying to process what was in front of him. When he realized what it was, he took a step back and shook his head.

“I can’t take it, Matsuoka-san.”

Mom put a hand on her hip, looking at him sternly.

“And why not?” She challenged,

Haru fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, shaking his head again.

“My parents send me money from Tokyo. This isn’t necessary.”

Mom rolled her eyes, holding out the envelope again. “I don’t care if they send you money or not. I’m giving you this because I want to, and it’d be in your best interest to just take it.”

Haru looked uncertain, so I stepped  beside Mom, flashing him a grin. “You might as well just take it. She’s even more stubborn than me. She won’t stop until it’s in your hands.”

Gou giggled, nodding her head. “Take it, Haruka-senpai!”

Blushing slightly from all the attention, Haru hesitantly reached out and took the envelope, bowing low once he did.

“This is very kind of you, Matsuoka-san. Thank you.”

“Again with the formalities.” Mom grabbed him by the back of his kimono and made him stand up straight. “I told you to stop doing that. We’re all family here.”

“R-right,” he stuttered, a little bewildered.

He tucked his envelope away and we started to make our way back home, the cold really beginning to seep into our bones. On the way, Haru got another phone call, this time from Makoto. As he slowed down to wall behind us and answer the call, I ducked my head down to whisper to Gou.

"Why were you so surprised when you opened the envelope?" I asked.

"It's just because Mom usually gives us ten thousand yen every year. It was five thousand this time." She looked over her shoulder at Haru, who was trailing behind us, still talking with Makoto. She smiled up at me, taking my arm in hers. "But I understand why now, and I'm glad she did that."

Knowing that Mom cut down on the amount of money Gou and I got this year just so she could make sure Haru received some too made my respect for her grow, and I was grinning all the way back home.

When we got back, I was exhausted from the long day and the late hour, ready to fall into bed and pass out. But I couldn't just yet, remembering the promise I'd made to Haru earlier. As soon as he stepped inside my room and closed the door, I pressed him up against it, reaching forward to lock it.

Without a word, I crashed our lips together, my hands finding his hips and pulling him closer. He sighed against my lips, his lips parting just enough for me to slip my tongue in between them. His arms snaked around my neck, his body pressing up against mine as he rolled his hips. I moaned, feeling way too overdressed for this situation. With our mouths still attached, I pushed the fabric off Haru’s shoulders. He got the hint and started working on his kimono blindly, hurriedly stripping himself while at the same time exploring my mouth with his tongue roughly. As soon as his clothes hit the floor, his hands were on me, helping me get rid of my own clothing. Our bodies finally bare, I pulled back for air, fingers tracing down his chest.

I slowly walked backwards, pulling him along until the backs of my knees hit the edge of my bed. Turning our positions around, I nudged him to get on the bed, and he obeyed wordlessly. I knelt next to him on the mattress, slowly coaxing him to lay down as I peppered his neck with kisses, hearing him sigh in bliss. Once he had laid down completely, I covered his body with my own, my thigh slotting between his legs. His cock was half-hard already, the feel of it against my leg making me painfully aware of just how hard I was getting. I ignored the heat pooling in my groin, though, in favor of sliding my lips up his neck and kissing against his jaw. Haru tilted his head back, giving me easier access, which I took complete advantage of and began sucking at his pulse point. He let out soft sighs and moans every now and then, encouraging me on.

I made my day down his neck, being careful not to leave any visible marks that couldn’t be covered up with his clothes. When I reached his chest, I sucked a nipple into my mouth, rolling it around with my tongue. His responding moan send a thrill through me, and I doubled my efforts to please him, switching to the other nipple once I was satisfied with the current one.

His breathing was ragged and his cock fully hard as I kissed down his stomach, noticing for the first time that there wasn’t a single hair leading up to his erection. I don’t know what it was about the thought of Haru shaving, of that skin smooth and supple under my touch, but it made me grind my hips down on the sheets to relieve some of the pressure building up. I kissed his stomach one last time before looking up, seeing Haru’s cheeks flushed and eyes blown wide.

“Haru, I want to try something,” I said, watching his expression shift into curiosity. “Can I?”

“Yeah. I trust you, Rin.”

It was clear in his voice that he was serious, especially with the way he stroked my cheek. Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I moved up to press a hot kiss to his lips, before taking my place between his thighs again. I kissed around his erection, feeling him tense up.

“Relax,” I soothed, rubbing his thighs. “You’re going to love this, I promise.”

He exhaled shakily, fingers unclenching from the sheets. Before I got to the main event, I took some time to explore his thighs. They were milky white and toned beneath my hands, and I shimmied down the sheets so I could get my mouth on them, trying not to moan out loud from the friction on my dick. I started out with light kisses, my tongue dragging up the skin of his right thigh. Kisses quickly turned to sucks, and pretty soon I was gently nibbling on the flesh. His legs would be covered up by his pants anyway, so I didn’t think twice about it as I began leaving dark hickeys all over his thighs, Haru’s moans turning me on even further. Maybe I had a thigh fetish? Whatever the case, it took a lot of willpower to tear myself away from the marked skin so I could do what I was aiming for all day.

Sliding up the sheets a little, I locked my gaze on what was my next target. Haru’s cock was leaking precum, lying hot and heavy against his stomach. I reached out to take it in hand, stroking it slowly while Haru closed his eyes and surrendered to my touch. I brought the engorged flesh to my lips, gently kissing the head.

“Ah! Rin, what are -” Haru started, but I cut him off, rubbing his erection in my hand.

“Shh. Don’t worry, babe. I’m going to make you feel so good.”

He swallowed but didn’t say anything else, and I took that as permission to continue. I kissed up the base of his cock, making my way back to the head and dipping my tongue into the slit, the slightly bitter taste of precum filling my mouth, I sucked the head into my mouth, being careful of my teeth, though for as pointy as they looked, they weren’t all that sharp. As soon as the head of his cock was in my mouth, Haru moaned deeply, his hands flying to my hair.

I was by no means an expert at giving blowjobs, but I had some experience in the department, so I did my best. The weight on my tongue felt nice, and just imagining what  a hot mouth around my own cock would feel like made me rub my hips against the sheets as I took him deeper into my mouth. I slowly bobbed my head, trying to take him as far as I could. I used my hand to stroke what my mouth couldn't reach, using my tongue to drag across the side of him every time I pulled up.

One of Haru’s hands left my hair, and then his moans became muffled. He was trying to hold in the noises he made, and while I desperately wanted to hear him come apart under me, I knew it was for the best that he keep quiet.

“Rin, _ah_ , yes…” he breathed out, and I picked up the pace of my movements. I moved my arms under his thighs, tugging him closer and slurping noisily at his cock. He was trembling, the fingers in my hair tightening and becoming painful, but it was a feeling I loved.

I could tell he was close from the way he was gently thrusting his hips upward to meet the motion of my mouth, and his legs crossed around my neck, his thighs squeezing my head. I didn’t mind, just kept up the pace, sliding my lips up and down the hard flesh.

“Rin,” he moaned, squeezing my head tighter between his thighs. “Rin, I-I’m going to - I’m so close.”

I gave a moan of my own to help him along, hearing him gasp from the vibrations. I felt his cock pulse in my mouth, and I braced myself as he shot his load, the warm liquid filling me up as I tried to swallow every last drop. I got most of it, licking up the few drops that managed to escape me as he relaxed, unwinding his legs from around my neck.

He looked thoroughly blissed out as I sat up on my knees, his chest rising and falling with every breath he took. I scanned over his body, his thighs which were covered in marks, as I reached down and took myself in my hand. I hissed at the contact, finally able to get some relief after being so hard for so long. I stroked myself quickly, needing to find release. Haru saw me and reached over, taking my cock into his own hand and jerking me fast, his lips finding mine.

“Cum, Rin,” he said against my lips as I panted, hands on his shoulders. “Cum for me.”

And I did. My muscles tensed and my breath was cut short as I came all across his chest, staining his ivory skin with sticky white. I caught my breath as he reached over for some tissues, cleaning himself off. Throwing the tissues in the trash, he took my arm and laid me down beside him, giving me a soft, sweet kiss.

“That was incredible,” he stated, looking completely sated.

I was still coming down from the high of my own orgasm, but I smiled lazily, noticing for the first time that my jaw was sore.

“Mm, hope so. Blowjobs aren’t easy.”

“I assume not. I’ll try to return the favor next time.”

I scooted closer to him, pulling the blankets over us. “Take your time. You can do it when you’re ready,” I assured, which earned me a brilliant smile and a kiss on the lips.

The exhaustion really caught up to us by then, and we exchanged sleepy kisses before we drifted off together.

*****

Four days after New Year's, we were all packed up to leave and continue our college/work-filled lives. I visited every room in the house again, knowing I probably wouldn't be around any time soon. I sat in front of Dad's picture for a while, until Haru came and sat beside me, bowing his head and praying again.

When he was done, he stood and held his hand out to me, which I took and used to help me stand. Together, we made our way to the front door, where our bags were already sitting. Gou was putting on her boots, and Haru and I slipped on our own shoes.

"Be safe," Mom said, hugging Gou before turning to me. "And for God's sake, _call_ me once in a while, Rin."

"Okay, okay, I will. I love you, Mom." I hugged her tight, kissing the top of her head.

She then moved to Haru, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. "I hope I get to see you again soon, Haru. It's was great having you here."

"Thank you for everything, Matsuoka-san. I've really enjoyed myself." He hugged her without any hesitance, a dramatic improvement from when he first got here.

As we shouldered our bags and opened the door, Mom gave us all one last kiss before she let us go on our way.

We exchanged one final farewell, with promises to visit soon, and then we were headed back to our hectic lives as students and workers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being sick is the worst.  
> Hope you guys liked the chapter, and thanks for all the comments and kudos!! You guys give me the motivation to write!
> 
> I have this headcanon that since they're always shirtless when they swim, Haru never lets Rin mark his chest or neck. So, Rin marks the only place he can: Haru's thighs. Over time, he's built up an obsession with those thighs and can never resist sucking and biting on them.


	21. Good Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin's working toward finding a goal, and at the moment, life is good.

January brought on more stressed students who only had a few months of school left. With it being Sei’s final year in college, he was seen less and less in the cafe, using most of his time to study. That left me in charge to make sure Momo and Ai weren’t goofing off in the kitchen, and to make sure the customers were satisfied.

Any spare time I had, whether it was on the job when there weren’t any customers, or at home when I could sit down and concentrate, was spent sketching in a new sketchbook Keiji had gotten me. I drew anything and everything, from people to animals to any abstract idea that popped into my head. Sosuke learned pretty quickly that it was useless to talk to me when my head was down and my wrist was flying across the page; I tuned out everything around me, my focus only on the lines that came to life before me.

It was frustrating, though, having all these ideas in my head and not knowing what I was going to do with them after they were drawn. I didn’t have great ambitions like everyone around me. I didn’t have a set goal; all I had was something I liked to do and was pretty good at. Where I would go from there, I had no idea, and it was annoying to be faced with that wall.

Keiji was as encouraging as always, and I found myself spending more and more time with him, letting him convince me that it was okay to not have a plan yet, to just draw anything I wanted and I would figure it out when the time came. I listened to him go on and on about the things he learned about art in class. It was interesting, and though I couldn’t imagine myself sitting at a desk and listening to a professor drone on about the technical stuff, I kept in mind everything Keiji said. His art was incredible in its own right. One day he brought over one of his own sketchbooks to my place, and Sosuke and I flipped through it in awe.

The landscapes he drew were beautiful. My favorite work of his was a watercolor painting of the ocean, the different hues of blue blending perfectly. Oranges and pinks made up the sky, showing how the sun set over the sea. I’d never realized how much I loved art until I looked over his work, and when I closed the book, I told him from the bottom of my heart how amazing he was to have such talent.

Speaking of Keiji, Sosuke and I saw him at least three times a week when we went to the gym where he worked. He still used the cheesiest pickup lines on Sosuke, grinning from ear to ear with each one. Sosuke pretended to be annoyed, but I could tell he wasn’t nearly as irritable as the first time we met Keiji. It was a hell of an improvement, and I teased Sosuke about it every chance I got.

But what I really got a kick out of of was when girls, both shy and bold, tried to hit on me and ask me out. My responding smile was probably a bit too big, giving them hope for the briefest of moments before I shot them down and told them I was taken, a concept that still made my head spin. Haru was present during most of these conversations, watching from his table or his spot by the counter where he waited for his coffee. I caught him glaring at the girls a few times, which earned him a kiss on the nose later because jealous Haru was a cute Haru.

Every Sunday, Haru and I got together at my apartment for his tutoring sessions. With the weekly sessions and the way he was religiously listening to the music I gave him, he was improving a lot faster than I had expected. I could see in his eyes how happy he was to be learning so quickly, especially since English was something he was dead set on mastering. After our study dates, I’d reward him by letting him crush my face between his perfect thighs as I sucked him off just the way he liked it. It was a great payment for me, too.

Each day was something I was thankful for. I never let myself forget how great my family and friends were, and as February approached, I went out with the Crew and Haru’s gang as much as possible. Most of my time was spent at the cafe, but I was able to see everyone regularly when they stopped by. Of course, I saw Sosuke almost every single day, which meant I saw Keiji just as much since the two were rarely ever seen apart anymore. I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised, then, when I saw something that I had secretly been hoping for for a while.

I had just gotten off from work and was heading out, locking up the cafe behind me. I was sure everyone else had left already, the sweeping up having been finished long before I stepped out. As I turned to leave, it hit me that I didn’t have my beanie on my head. I spun around and unlocked the doors again, striding past the counter and heading toward the kitchen to check if I’d left it behind when I grabbed my jacket.

I froze in my tracks as soon as I entered, my gaze flickering over to the corner where the aprons and my beanie hung for just a fraction of a second before it fell on the two people who didn’t even seemed to have noticed me. Most of what I saw consisted of Sosuke’s broad back, but I could see half of Keiji’s face form the way it was tilted. Sosuke had him pinned against the wall, Keiji’s fingers in his hair and not even an inch of space between them as they practically ate away at each other’s faces. I could hear the sounds of their lips smacking together, and I really could have gone the rest of my life without having to hear Sosuke moaning deep in his throat.

While I frantically debated just leaving my beanie and getting out of there, Keiji opened his eyes slightly and caught sight of me. He pushed Sosuke away a little, smirking over his shoulder while he caught his breath.

“Looks like we’ve got an audience,” Keiji said, voice rougher than usual, the top two buttons of his black button-up undone.

Sosuke looked back over his shoulder, spotting me standing there awkwardly, unable to move. He tried to step away, but Keiji grabbed onto his shirt and kept him close, grinning like he won the lottery.

“You finally got him, huh?” I said when I finally found my voice, my own grin taking over me.

“It was just a matter of time,” Keiji replied. “I always knew he wouldn’t be able to resist me.”

“Stop talking like I’m not right here,” Sosuke grumbled.

Keiji laughed, putting his lips to Sosuke’s ear and whispering something I couldn’t hear. Whatever it was made Sosuke press him against the wall even harder, and that was my cue to get out of there before I was scarred for life.

“Just pass me my beanie and then you can do… whatever. I really don’t want to know,” I said, motioning to my beanie that was hanging near them. Keiji reached over and grabbed it, tossing it to me. I caught it and slipped it onto my head, noticing the way Sosuke was shifting uncomfortably, most likely because I was there. I held up my hand in a wave, taking a few steps back. “I’ll see you  guys tomorrow, then.”

But before I left, I dug through my pocket, pulling out the key to the cafe.

“Oi, Sosuke, lock up on your way out.” I threw him the keys, which he caught as he nodded. “And make sure to clean up any mess you make. With bleach. Sei’s gonna kill you if he finds anything that really shouldn’t be in a kitchen.”

“Dammit Rin, just get the hell out,” Sosuke said, clearly irritated and flustered as Keiji ignored us and began mouthing at his neck. I snickered, finally deciding to leave them alone and walking out the door.

When  I stepped out into the cool night air, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. For some reason, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I guess I was still holding onto the guilt of rejecting Sosuke all those months ago, and now that there was someone else he was interested in, I was finally able to let any lingering guilt go. So I walked home with a smirk on my face, thinking of all the ways I could tease Sosuke for the next few days.

And tease him I did. The next day, I told him he looked more relaxed than I’d ever seen him, saying it in the most innapropriate way possible. That got me punch in the arm, but it was worth it to see him flush. Everyone else caught on when Keiji greeted Sosuke with a kiss, and they congratulated them for finally getting their shit together. The following Tuesday, I went straight home after work when Keiji told me he had a day off at the gym and that he and Sosuke were going on a date. Figuring I could use the extra hours of my day to do something relaxing, I didn’t go to the gym by myself, and instead flopped down on my couch to watch TV.

I was halfway through a heart wrenching episode of a new anime, when my phone started ringing. I scowled at the device, hating it for interrupting me. Wiping away the tears that had started to gather in my eyes, I picked up the phone, seeing that it was Sei calling me.

“I’m in the middle of something so this better be damn important,” I said when I picked up.

“Apparently it’s not important enough, since you forgot,” he shot back, which made me shut up and think. Did I really forget something? “Just get your ass up and come back to the cafe.”

“Why?” I asked, wondering if I did something wrong or forgot to file some paperwork or something.

“It’s important, I’ll tell you when you get here.” he said vaguely. “You better be walking through that door in ten minutes, Matsuoka.”

Since he was using my surname with that tone of voice, I assumed it must’ve really been important, and I was on my feet in half a second.

“On my way now,’ I said, hanging up. I switched off the TV, going to the front door and slipping on my shoes. I grabbed my jacket and keys and was out the door and on my way to the cafe in no time. For the life of me, I couldn’t think of a single thing I might have forgotten. I just hoped Sei wasn’t pissed at me, because as nice of a guy he was, he was pretty scary when he was mad.

I could see that the lights were on in the cafe, which meant Sei was inside. He usually didn’t stay long after closing for the day, so the fact that we closed an hour ago and he was still there made me curious. Pushing open the door, I stepped inside and almost had a heart attack from the yells that assaulted my ears.

“Surprise!”

With my heart beating a mile a minute, I looked around the room with wide eyes. There were red balloons in the corners and on either side of the counter. Most of the tables had been  pushed back against the far wall, leaving quite a bit of space on the floor to walk around. A few tables had nice vases with roses in them, and there was a banner hung up behind the counter that read -

“Happy Birthday!”

Everyone in the room shouted together, cheering afterward. Sei had an arm around Makoto, who set off a party cracker along with Nagisa, Momo, Ai, Keiji, and Gou. Rei clapped politely, a smile on his face as his glasses slid down his nose a little. Haru was leaning against the countertop, eyeing me while he sipped what looked like coffee (I was starting to worry he was addicted). Sosuke came up beside me and clapped me on the shoulder, pushing me forward and snapping me out of my daze.

“Wait, what?” I dumbly said. I looked down at my phone, checking the date to see that it was indeed February 2nd, my 20th birthday. “Crap, I forgot it’s my birthday today.”

“Obviously,” Sosuke said, rolling his eyes. “Made it easier for us. Gou really wanted to surprise you.”

The girl in question tackled me in a hug, throwing her arms around me and pulling me down to her height.

“Happy Birthday, Onii-chan!” She said, kissing my cheek.

“Thanks, Gou,” I said, ruffling her hair. Rei came up to me then, grabbing my hand and shaking it firmly.

“Happy Birthday, Rin-san.  I’m so glad Sosuke-san told us about this; Nagisa-kun hasn’t stopped making plans since last week.” He looked back at his blond boyfriend, sighing and shaking his head. “Don’t worry, I refused to let him hire the male strippers he wanted.”

I burst out laughing, patting Rei on the back. While I tried to get myself together and Rei tried to figure out what was so funny, Momo caught everyone’s attention by yelling out, “Now that senpai’s here, it’s time to partayyyy!”

“Whooo!” Nagisa yelled in response, moving over the stereo they had set up. He pressed a button and music started blasting from the speakers, a song that I recognized filling up the small cafe.

I left Rei and walked over to Sei and Makoto, who both pulled me into a tight hug, wishing me a happy birthday. I thanked them, grinning broadly. Ai and Keiji congratulated me separately too, but Momo and Nagisa were too busy jumping around to the music. After quick half-hugs, I strolled over to Haru, who had been watching everything from his spot against the counter. He smiled when I stepped up to him, putting down his coffee cup an cupping my cheek with his hand.

“Happy Birthday, Rin,” he murmured into my ear before kissing me hard on the mouth.

“Mm, you taste like coffee,” I replied when I pulled away from our lip lock.

“That would be because I was just drinking it.”

“You’re getting addicted to all that caffeine.”

“Perhaps.”

Huffing a laugh, I kissed him again, dragging his lip between my teeth gently. We were interrupted when something hit the back of my head, making me look around. It turned out to be a party hat Sei had thrown at me, a bright red one with a green stars which now lay at my feet.

“If you think I’m putting that on, you’re insane,” I deadpanned. Sei shrugged, reaching over to the side of the counter that had drinks bunched together. Sodas and beer cans sat chilled in a bucket of ice, bowls of chips and dip resting near it. Sei gave a beer to both Sosuke and Makoto, who were old enough to drink, and then passed one to me.

“You’re finally a man now,” he said, grabbing a beer for himself and cracking it open. “Might as well celebrate with some alcohol.”

I looked down at the can in my hand, grimacing before setting it on the counter unopened.

“No thanks,” I said, grabbing a soda can instead. “I don’t get why people drink when it just fucks them up. Besides, I go to the gym to be healthy, not to waste all the effort by filling my body up with depressants.” I shot a pointed look at Sosuke, who was sipping his own beer and pretending he didn’t see me.

“Somehow, I knew you’d say that,” Sei said, seemingly disappointed. He didn’t push any further, distracted when Momo came up and snatched up the beer can I’d put down.

“I’ll drink Senpai’s share!”

Sei grabbed the can out of his brother’s hand, glaring at him with fierce golden eyes.

“Like hell you will. You’re not old enough.”

Momo made puppy dog eyes, but Sei was immune to them after so long.

“But Nii-saaaaan! It’s just us, no one will find out!”

Sei put the can back in the bucket of ice. “I’ll know. Remember Momo, I’m going to be a cop, so it’s not a good idea to start breaking the law already.”

“You wouldn’t bust your own brother!”

“I will if you keep being a little shit.”

Crestfallen, Momo went back to the makeshift dance floor, trying to get Gou to dance with him. My over-protective brother instincts kicked in, but were put to rest when Gou completely ignored him in favor of talking to Rei. Looking around the place, at the guys mingling and laughing, I realized how ridiculous it all was and couldn’t help but laugh.

“A party with beer and dancing in a cafe where we work? Fucking crazy.”

“Rin, I’m allowing you to swear only because it’s your birthday,” Haru warned, arms crossed over his chest. “Keep that in mind.”

“Noted. I’ll clean up my language tomorrow, don’t worry.”

From there, they dragged me over to the farthest booth, where I found a stack of presents waiting for me. The volume was lowered on the music, and every eye was on me as I opened the presents one by one.

All the gifts were great, ranging from Ai’s 5 Seconds of Summer phone case to Keiji’s set of watercolors to the pair of fuzzy handcuffs Nagisa gave (“I have a feeling Haru-chan will love ‘em!”). Rei got me a book on “The Beauty of Butterflies”, which was accompanied by a lecture on how butterflies were the most majestic and beautiful creatures on the planet(Haru disagreed, favoring the dolphin). The best gift, I think, wasn’t tangible. It was when the chatter started up again and I could see Haru arguing with Sosuke from my seat on top of a table. I felt someone sit next to me, and that someone turned out to be Makoto. He watched the argument too, saw the irritation all over Sosuke’s features while Haru remained stoic and calm, and chuckled.

“I wonder if they’ll ever be friends,” Makoto mused.

“Maybe someday, when Sosuke stops being an ass and Haru stops intentionally annoying him.”

“That might take a while.” He smiled at me, green eyes standing out brilliantly against his red plaid shirt. “Haru said he really loved staying with your family over break.”

I raised an eyebrow. “He did?”

“Well. not in so many words, but I could tell that’s what he was thinking.”

I nodded slowly. “Right. I’ll never really get how you two can just read each other’s minds like that. I’ve known Sosuke for just as long as you’ve known Haru, and I can’t do that.”

His expression turned thoughtful, and he was silent for a moment as he thought of a way to explain. “I think that’s because Sosuke’s more outgoing and vocal about his thoughts. Haru’s the complete opposite; he keeps to himself most of the time. He needs someone to understand him completely, and after spending my entire life by his side, he doesn’t need to say anything for me to get what he means. I can tell from the way he hunches his shoulders a little that a conversation is uncomfortable or hard for him. He flickers his eyes over to me when he wants to say something but can’t because there are people there, and I can tell just from the context what he’s trying to say. I guess I’ve just gotten good at reading him.”

I shook my head in awe, amazed by how well they knew each other. “That’s an understatement. You know Haru better than anyone.”

“True, but you will too, after a while.You pick up on the little things if you really pay attention.”

And I swore to myself that I would. Maybe I wouldn’t know him on the level Makoto did, but that was okay, because their bond was unique and unbreakable.

We sat in silence for a while, listening to Sei yelling at Momo and Nagisa for trying to steal alcohol. When I spoke up again, I picked a completely new topic.

“Hey, what’s your family like?” I asked.

Makoto seemed surprised by the questioned, but smiled all the same.

“They’re great. Mom and Dad are always nice, but they always expect us to follow the rules under their roof. They knew I was… different, long before I finally got the courage to tell them. They said they loved me no matter what, as long as I’m honest with them” He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “They actually thought I had a thing for Haru for the longest time.”

“And did you?”

“Maybe at one point. But I think I quickly realized that what I wanted from him wasn’t anything sexual or romantic. I just felt really strongly for him as a friend, you know? I wanted to be there when he needed me, so I was and I was content. Meeting Sei really proved that it was all just platonic, and I’m happy with the way things are.”

“But your parents thought you had a crush on him?”

Makoto grinned sheepishly. “Well, when you spend everyday attached to the hip of your childhood friend, I could see why they’d think that.”

“A lot of people probably think you like each other,” I agreed. “You have siblings, right? Twins, I think it was?”

“Yeah, Ren and Ran are both younger than me. You know what it’s like to feel that responsibility of being an older brother, that need to protect them from everything and anything.”

Oh yeah, I knew that feeling. I was feeling it just then, too, seeing the way Momo was holding Gou’s hand.

“They’d like you,” Makoto continued. “You should come over and meet them sometime.”

I brightened, liking that idea. “You’re sure?”

He smiled kindly, nodding. “Of course. They love playing with Haru and Sei, and they’ve asked me a couple of times about Haru’s boyfriend.”

“What did you tell them?”

“That he has long red hair and teeth like a shark. Then they begged me to bring you over sometime, so I’m hoping you’ll help me appease them and come over for dinner or something.”

“Why the fuck are my teeth so interesting to kids?” I muttered. “But yeah, I’d love to.” I stared at him long and hard before coming to a decision. “You’re like a fucking angel, you know that?”

Apparently he didn’t, if the surprised look on his face was anything to go by.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you frown, Makoto. You go around smiling at people like the sun. Sei’s a lucky bastard, and if he ever gives you any crap, tell me and I beat the shit out of him.”

“I don’t think you’ll need to do that, but thank you, Rin,” he said sincerely.

I realized that was the first conversation he and I had without someone there to interrupt. I wondered why we didn’t hang out more often; it was so easy to talk to him and have fun. As I got up to head onto the dance floor, I resolved to spend more time with Makoto, with or without Haru.

The music was blasting and Nagisa and Momo were laughing at Rei’s attempt to dance. Ai was smiling, eyes flitting between the awkward Rei and Momo, who looked like he would pass out from laughing so hard. Gou, Sei, and Keiji were completely ignoring Sosuke and Haru, who were still arguing about something. I slipped an arm around Haru’s waist just as he was about to retort.

“Rin, tell Nanase to shut up. He’s driving me crazy.”

I looked at Haru, who was staring back at me. “Sosuke, shut up. Haru, keep being amazing.”

Sosuke facepalmed and Haru smirked, kissing my jaw.

“Now, I’m gonna steal you so we can dance,” I said, pulling Haru away and onto a clear area of the room. His expression immediately shifted to apprehension, his hands gripping my shoulders.

“I don’t dance,” he said.

“I don’t either. Just move to the beat of the music, you’ll be fine.”

He tried, and it turned out to actually be pretty sexy. The song was one that naturally made me want to dance, though I think we spent most of the time making out while moving our bodies than actually trying to dance. I made sure to keep it PG-13, since I wanted to spare Gou her innocence.

“Hey,” I panted, after a particularly hot kiss. “You never told me when your birthday was.”

He pressed his lips to my neck, before whispering hotly. “June 30th.”

“So you’ll be 20 in a few months, huh?”

“Actually, I’ll be 21,” he corrected, tongue coming out to fiddle with the infinity earring I had put in a few days ago.

A beat, and then: “ _Fuck_ , that’s hot.”

“Mm, is it?”

“Definitely. I’m dating an older man.”

I felt his breath against my neck as he laughed. “It’s only about seven months.”

“Still, it counts.”

We danced together for a while, until Keiji, Momo, and Nagisa started yell-singing along to the songs. From there, it turned into a singing competition, which had some interesting results. I learned that Makoto was extremely shy when put on the spot, and that Nagisa loved replacing the actual lyrics with the dirtiest words he could think of. Rei kept apologizing for his little devil of a boyfriend, who I was just about ready to strangle after he said “cocks” about 20 times with Gou listening. Still, the few hours we partied together was great, until Sei declared it was time to head home, what with all of us either having work or classes in the morning.

We all got together to clean up and take down the banner, filling up a trash bag with empty cans. We moved the tables back into their original spaces, reverting the Sharkbait Cafe back into what it used to be. I put all my gifts into a bag to take home with me, and before we could head out, I turned to everyone and got their attention.

“Thanks for all of this, guys,” I said, “I had a great time. Probably my best birthday ever.”

“Aww, we love you too, Rin-chan!” I’m not sure how Nagisa got that out of my words, but I didn’t get a chance to call him out on it because the next thing I knew, he was tackling me from behind and clinging on.

That triggered Momo to join in on the hug, followed by Keiji and Gou. Before I knew it, I was the center of an eleven person hug, though both Haru and Sosuke looked exasperated. Someone stepped on someone else’s foot, and the hug turned into a dog pile as we all went crashing down to the ground.

There were grumbles and laughter and I didn’t even care if I’d have any bruises later, because I was having a damn good time and couldn’t ask for anything better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually try to post every week, but I've been really sick lately, so please bear with me, guys. Really hope you guys like this chapter!  
> P.S. Rei's a party pooper. Male strippers all the way.


	22. Meet Me by the Poolside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin’s life is a “fricken romance novel.” Momo’s a little lost, and frankly, Sosuke just wonders why redheads are so oblivious to everything.  
> At least Rin has a hot date to look forward to.

“Ai, you’re up at the register with me till Sosuke gets back!” I called as I stuck my head through the kitchen door.

Aiichirou tore his eyes away from the muffins he was popping out of the pan, giving instructions to Momo, who was just sliding a pie out of the oven. Ai smiled, reaching over and wiping a bit of flour off of Momo’s cheek. Momo batted his hand away, though he was grinning the whole time.

“Please don’t burn the whole place down while you’re in here alone,” Ai begged, earning an offended look.

“I’m the best baker here!” Momo exclaimed, sticking his tongue out at Ai’s retreating back. I held the door open for him as he took his place at Sosuke’s register. He brushed off any visible flour from his apron, a small smile ever present on his boyish face. I took my spot at my own register, pulling a napkin closer to me and picking up the pen I always kept with me, beginning to doodle since there was no one in line.

I found myself drawing a hummingbird sucking the nectar from a flower, adding detail to the wings and petals, lightly shading as I went along. I only looked up when I felt Ai tugging at my apron gently, a signal we’d developed over the last few weeks for when I was too deep into my drawings to notice customers coming in. I pushed the napkin and pen away, looking up to find a guy and a girl approaching the counter and plastering on my best smile for them. The girl ordered from me, a simple latte that I whipped up quickly. In the foam, I drew a hummingbird a lot like the one I had been working on a minute ago, though with less detail and minus the flower. The squeal and the heartfelt thanks I got ensured me that it was still great, and I felt a strange kind of joy watching the girl gush over the latte art as she walked away with her boyfriend.

“Your drawings are really good, Senpai,” Ai said, examining the napkin. “Have you decided what you’re going to do with them?”

I shrugged, staring down at the napkin. “Not yet. But I have a lot of time, so I’m not too worried. At least I know what I like doing. A lot better than a few months ago.”

“It’s a great start,” he agreed. His blue eyes traveled to my right ear, where I knew the infinity earring was gleaming. “Nanase-san got that for you, right?”

I grinned, reaching up to feel the earring that had quickly become a part of me like nothing else.

“Yeah, it’s my favorite. Looks pretty good, don’t you think?”

Before he could answer, the bell jingled and Gou walked in, waving at us as she approached the counter. It was like Momo had some sixth sense or something, darting out of the kitchen as soon as Gou greeted us. He grinned, trying to chat her up and ask about her day, which just pissed me off.

“It does,” Ai said, answering my earlier question. His smile was nowhere to be seen as he watched Gou practically ignore Momo in favor of looking at the menu. “It really does, Senpai.”

And then he turned away and got back to work, leaving me to stare in confusion and wonder what that was all about.

\---

March was only a few days away, which meant Sei’s final year in college was coming to an end. He was stressed with graduation only a few weeks away, but at the same time he was walking on air to finally be done with school. He was all set to start his officer training a month or so after he graduated. Sei was at the cafe whenever he could be, but mostly he left it up to me to make sure everything was running smoothly. Still, most days out of the week, he was there to be Captain of his ship and bark orders out to the rest of us.

The Sharkbait Cafe itself had developed a strange sort of… aura lately. Maybe it was because Sei was out more often, but every time I walked into the cafe, things felt off. I wasn’t the only one who noticed; Sosuke was a little out of it too, and while I suspected he knew something I didn’t, he refused to tell me anything. Ai was quieter than usual, and sometimes Momo would simply stop whatever he was doing and cast a worried look at Ai.

I shook off any uneasy feelings I had and focused on my job, which had seemed to be attracting more asshole customers lately. It was hard smiling for them when they were being dicks, complaining about their coffee for no reason or being upset that there were no female employees. When one guy got really snarky over the subject, I snapped at him, “Well pretty much all the employees here are gay as fuck, so I’m not sure you’d have much luck even we did hire a girl. We just attract all the gay.” Needless to say, that got him to shut up and leave, even if he was a little disgusted.

My mood didn’t improve much over the next few days, even though I tried my best to be friendly and a good barista. It was just so hard when everything felt so _off_. Haru did his best to cheer me up whenever he visited, which was a few times a week since he spent most of his time in the library. On my breaks when he was around, I would lay my head on his shoulder and let him run his fingers through my hair, soothing me. And every time, I would thank him and tell him I love him, and my day would slightly get better from there.

It was a couple of weeks into the new strangeness of the cafe, when it finally became clear just what was causing the crew to be so dysfunctional.

It was Ai.

I’m sure to anyone else, everything seemed to be the way it normally was. But after a while, I really started to notice how his shoulders would droop and the way he sighed when he thought no one was looking. He played it cool like he was fine and he made it believable too. He’d be quick to follow orders as always, being the most polite out of all of us when it came to customers. Though quieter, he’d laugh and joke with the rest of us like he always did, but there was always _something_ that made his smile waver and a fleeting emotion to pass across his eyes.

Maybe we were spending too much time together, but the entire crew of the Sharkbait Cafe felt a little lost when Ai would show those little hints of not being completely okay. No one said anything, no one knew _what_ to say, especially when Ai was all smiles when he was interacting with us. Momo didn’t seem to notice much, though I did catch him asking Ai if he was okay one day. Ai smiled and said he was just fine, but then I noticed the hurt look he had when Momo accepted it and turned away.

With spirits low at work and my extreme irritation whenever Gou visited and Momo was all over her, I figured I needed to do something fun and get away from it all. So, one day while I was on my break and Haru was nowhere to be seen, I shot him a text with a plan in mind.

_**To: Dolphindick** _

_What would you say to a date next Tuesday?_

I didn’t have to  wait long for a reply, smiling as I opened the text.

_**From: Dolphindick** _

_I would say that it sounds great as long as there is mackerel involved._

I grinned; typical Haru, obsessed with his mackerel.

**_To: Dolphindick_ **

_Wouldn’t be a date without it. I have the day off, so I’ll pick you up at around 2 and we can go from there. Pack a swimsuit_

**_From: Dolphindick_ **

_A swimsuit? Alright, I look forward to it._

I was giddy when I went back to work. This would be our first real date, alone. Every time we went out before, someone was always there that we had to share that time with. This time, it would be just us, and I honestly couldn’t wait.

Of course, my life’s a fricken romance novel, so shit really hit the fan the day before my date night.

We were all cleaning up after closing shop for the day, Sei barking out orders as usual. I was sweeping the floors, Sosuke was cleaning the coffee maker, and Momo was wiping down the tables. Ai was cleaning the countertop, bangs hanging over his eyes.

“We need to have a party or something,” Momo said out of nowhere. None of us paid him any attention, used to his outbursts by now. “I’m serious! The parties with all of us are always the best! We can invite Nagisa and the others and make it like Rin-senpai’s birthday party!”

“Mmhm.” Sei hummed noncommittally.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Momo frowning before he turned to me, excited again. “Senpai, we’ve gotta invite Gou-san too! I think we should have the party at your place, and then you can put in a good word for me. Please?”

The sound of a hand slamming down on a hard surface startled all of us, and we turned to look at the source. Ai’s fist was clenched tight as it rested on the glass, his expression irritated as he stared Momo down.

“Just give it up already!” Ai snapped, fuming. “It’s obvious she’s not interested, so just let it go!”

We were all shocked, not used to hearing Ai raise his voice. He looked angry and annoyed, glaring at Momo like he couldn’t stand him.

Momo recovered from the shock quickly, frowning and crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

“You don’t know that for sure!”

Ai rolled his eyes, abandoning his rag to focus solely on Momo.

“It’s completely obvious, Momo. Ask anyone here; Gou ignores you most of the time!”

The rest of us looked back and forth between the two of them, surprised. Momo and Ai never fought, so we didn’t really know what to do.

“She just needs time!” Momo argued.

“No, she needs you to stop bugging her all the time!”

“She’ll come around! I’m positive it’s only a matter of time now!”

“Dammit Momo!” Ai looked furious and upset, his usually friendly and calm exterior gone. “You’re such an idiot!”

“Me?!” Momo sounded offended, getting angry too.

“Yes, you! Maybe if you stopped chasing after her and looked at what’s right in front of you, you'd see that even if she doesn’t want you, there are people who do!”

Ai’s mouth snapped shut, eyes widening. The cafe was deathly silent, and I couldn’t see what Momo’s reaction was because my eyes were fixed on Ai. The color drained from his face and he swallowed, looking around until his eyes landed on his bag.

“I-I have to go,” he stammered before anyone could say anything. He snatched up his bag, not even bothering to shoulder it before he was dashing through the door without another word.

We all stood stock still, trying to digest the scene that had unfurled before us. Sosuke let out a sigh, dropping what he was doing and shrugging on his jacket.

“I’ll go talk to him,” he announced. “I kind of know what he's going through, so maybe he’ll talk to me. Sei, you’re dealing with him.” He jabbed his thumb at Momo, who was confused and looking between us for answers.

Sei nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose and motioning for Sosuke to get going. Sosuke grabbed his bag and headed out, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like “redheads are fucking idiots.”

“Momo, we’re going home,” Sei said.

“What?” Momo questioned, not seeming to understand at all. “What’s going on, Nii-san? What did he mean?”

Sei grabbed Momo by the hair, dragging him along despite his brother's protests. “You really are an idiot. Rin, sorry but could you finish up here?” He threw an apologetic look over his shoulder, but I waved him off.

“I’ve got it. You go do what you’ve gotta do.”

“Thanks man.”

He dragged a whining Momo out of the cafe, leaving me alone in silence.

Well, shit.

At least now I knew why Ai had been so off lately. I guess seeing Momo drool over Gou for so long really made him jealous, and I could only imagine how hurt he felt with Momo being so oblivious. Sosuke was right when he said he knew how Ai felt, because I was an oblivious idiot too when it came to having my best friend be in love with me.

Sighing and looking around at the empty cafe, I dug my phone out of my pocket.

**_To: Dolphindick_ **

_Can’t wait for our date tomorrow. My life’s something straight out of a chick flick._

* * *

 

Tuesday morning, I stood in front of my wardrobe for a good thirty minutes, trying to decide what to wear. I wanted to go with my usual band tee and maybe a hoodie, but even though I knew Haru wouldn’t care what I wore, I figured that wasn’t good enough for a date. In the end, I decided to take a page out of Keiji’s book and go with a form-fitting maroon button up shirt with black jeans. Once I was showered and dressed, I grabbed an old messenger bag from my closet and filled it with two towels and my black and red leg skins. I knew exactly what we were going to do today, and I had a feeling that Haru would love it.

It was a quarter to two when I left my apartment, buzzing with energy as I made the journey over to Haru’s university. The drama of yesterday was completely forgotten, my thoughts filled with nothing but blue eyes and a rare beautiful smile. As I approached the gates of the campus, I saw two figures sitting on the curb of the sidewalk in front of the university. They sat peacefully together, talking about something I couldn’t hear. I walked up next to them, drawing their attention and making them both look up at me.

“Hi, Rin,” Makoto greeted, all smiles.

“Hey, Makoto,” I responded as he stood. Haru got up, too, his eyes scanning my body.

“You look… good,” he stated, gaze lingering on where my top button was undone, exposing a sliver of my collarbone.

I smirked, my hair ruffling in the breeze.

“Thanks, so do you.” And he did, in his cream sleeveless sweater, the collar of his white shirt underneath resting perfectly on the neck of the sweater. It was a smart look. His bag, which I assumed held his swimsuit, hung by his side.

“I’ll leave you two to it, then,” Makoto said, making me realize he was still there. “Have fun!” He looked at Haru, who gave a minuscule nod after a second, thoroughly confusing me. Before I could ask, Makoto was walking back through the gates, leaving me alone with Haru.

“Where exactly are we going?” Haru asked as I took his hand.

I grinned, not giving anything away. “You’ll see. We’re gonna have fun today, trust me.”

And I guess he did,. because he didn’t ask any more questions, following me silently to the bus stop. The silence was comfortable as we boarded the bus, Haru’s thumb tracing circles on the back of hand speaking volumes by itself. We got off a couple blocks from our destination, and I eagerly tugged Haru along until I saw his eyes widen as the building came into sight.

It was probably nothing special to the average passerby, but to someone like Haru, who was obsessed with water and the ocean, an indoor pool was the ideal place for some competitive fun. Now it was him dragging me inside, his jaw set in determination and his eyes fierce.

When we stepped in, he stopped in his tracks and I heard his breath hitch. I could understand why; the place was huge. Bleachers overlooked the main pool, which shimmered with natural light shining down from the glass ceiling. A smaller pool was to the side, which held a few kids at the moment as they splashed around while their parents supervised them. The pools were mainly used by the swim clubs of local universities if they didn’t have their own, but it was open to the public three times a week. There weren’t too many people today, what with the early March weather still chilly and not many people wanting to swim. It was nice and warm inside, though, and Haru was making his way down to the pool with me right on his heels.

“How did I not know this was here?” He asked no one in particular.

“So you like it?”

He looked at me with complete seriousness. “Rin, I guarantee you that I will stay with you forever if we continue our dates here.”

And then he was off, heading towards where the locker rooms were, leaving me stunned and speechless.

Well, damn.

I quickly followed, finding the locker room empty, except for Haru. He was already stripping, bending over nicely as he rummaged through his bag. I had the perfect view of his ass, milky white and firm, and I took a few seconds to just stare. His thighs held no evidence that I had ever touched them, and I made a mental note to fix that at the first chance I got. Haru pulled out a pair of jammers, slipping them on. I changed into my leg skins, and together we made our way back out to the pool.

There were no lane dividers in the big pool today, letting the few inhabitants swim around freely. There were just three other guys in the pool, giving us more space to move. Haru and I both got onto a starting block, and I watched as he bent down with a perfect diving form. A split second later, my breath caught in my throat as he dove into the water.

He was beautiful. The gracefulness with which he dove left me staring, and as he surfaced and began to swim away, I finally understood why he loved dolphins so much. It was because he was like one himself, swimming lithely and in a way that drew attention from everyone else present. He was in no rush, taking his time swimming to the other end of the pool, where he pushed off with his feet and made his way back. As soon as his fingertips brushed the edge, he surfaced completely and shook his head, flipping his hair free of the clinging moisture. He looked up at me, raising an eyebrow when he caught me staring.

“Are you going to spend the rest of the day standing there?”

His question drew me back to reality, and I blushed when I realized that I hadn’t moved an inch since he dove into the water. Taking my stance, I dove off the block too, feeling the rush of the warm water around me as I submerged. I came back up feeling elated, the water seeming to energize me. Looking around, I saw Haru swimming laps, and I decided to join him. We swam lazily for a while, not really making conversation. I learned that Haru was just as averse to talking when he was swimming as he was when he was writing poetry. I didn’t really mind, instead enjoying the fact that we could swim together without needing words to make this date successful.

My blood was pumping in my veins, wanting something more taxing, something faster. I swam back to the edge of the pool, where our bags were sitting. I rummaged around until I found my cap and goggles, putting them on. I took the liberty to dig through Haru’s bag too, relieved to find a similar pair.

“Oi, Haru!” I called. It seemed to take some effort, but he stopped swimming, turning to me instead. I held up his cap and goggles, flashing a pointy-toothed grin. “How about a race?”

He waded over to me, taking the items out of my hand. “Only if you’re prepared to lose, Rin.”

Oh, now it was _on_. I approached a guy with brown hair and a nice build who had just gotten out of the pool, asking him if he could give us a starting signal. He agreed, and then I was back up on the starting block next to Haru. I adjusted my goggles, snapping back the strap of them and giving him a wink before I took my position. The brown-haired guy first made sure there was no on in the way - the other guys had swam over to the sides to watch - and then he told us to get ready.

As soon as I heard him let out a loud wolf-whistle, I was off. I dove into the water, kicking my legs behind me as I swam with every fiber of my being. I could sense Haru right beside me, impressed with his speed but determined not to lose. Soon enough, the edge of the pool came to view, and I prepared myself for the turn.

When it came, I turned with skill that I forgot I had. I kicked off almost perfectly, taking in a gulp of air as soon as my head broke the water for a second. I knew Haru was right there next to me, refusing to let up. The thrill of the race, of racing _Haru_ , made me give it everything I had, and as the wall of the pool came closeand closer into view, my only thought was that Haru made everything a million times better.

My hand slapped against the wall and I straightened, gasping for air as the adrenaline pumped through my body. Haru was there too, smoldering gaze locked on me. It sent heat down my spine, and all I wanted to do was push him up against the edge of the pool and kiss him senseless. Unfortunately, I couldn’t, as was made clear by the applause that started up by the people who had been watching.

“Wow,” our brown-haired ref said in awe. “Are you guys in a uni club or something? That was amazing!”

Haru didn’t look like he was going to answer, so I took it upon myself to respond. “Nah, it’s just a hobby that we don’t do as often as probably could. Anyway, who won?” I was eager to find out if I had beaten Haru, already tallying up the points we had each gotten from our video game tournaments.

“Oh uh, it looked like a tie, as far as I could tell. You guys both touched at the same time. A hobby? I’ve never seen anyone be so good at a damn hobby.”

So it was a tie. It was fitting, I supposed. No matter how competitive Haru and I were, we had a hard time one-upping each other. This just meant we’d have to come back someday and race again. I was about to say as much, but before I could even open my mouth, Haru was pressed up against me, hands on my face as he crashed our lips together. He took my breath away in that kiss and probably shocked anyone who saw, but he didn’t look like he cared when he pulled back.

“I love you,” he breathed against my lips. With a small smile, he swam away, floating on  his back when he reached the middle of the pool.

“Love you too,” I responded dumbly, not noticing the bewildered look I was receiving from the other guys.

I swam a few more laps before deciding to float lazily next to Haru. staring up at the sky through the glass of the ceiling. The sun was glinting off my piercings, reflecting onto the water whenever I turned my head.

“I didn’t know you could swim so fast,” I commented, tuning out the sounds of kids laughing and the splashing of water.

“Makoto and I were in our middle school’s swim club for both years,” Haru said after a moment. “Swimming was a big part of my life until I decided to focus on my writing.”

“You look so comfortable in the water, I would’ve never guessed you spent any time out of it.”

He huffed a laugh, and I turned my head slightly to see him close his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. “After my grandmother passed and high school began, I would spend hours every morning sitting in the bathtub. It was calming, though not in the way writing is. I used the water to help me think, would sit there even after my skin began to wrinkle. Makoto would come by every morning and pull me out of the tub himself, and then I would reluctantly get ready for school. This was around the time I was really starting to get invested in literature.”

Wow, Makoto and Haru were on a whole other level of friends. It was nice hearing these things, though. It was like being able to see the entire masterpiece that was Haru with every little detail he gave about his life.

“Sosuke and I swam a lot when we were kids, and we still do once in  a while. Sei’s pool really comes in handy on hot days and when we want to settle scores.”

“Water is amazing,” Haru said softly. “It’s so… freeing. It can be harsh and violent at times, but it is far more gentle than people are with their speech. Every cool touch pulls me further away from the problems of reality. I can dive in, and for the time that I spend under water, the outside world fades away and I’m left feeling weightless and free. If only the world above the surface was as liberating as the one beneath.”

He spoke as if he was reciting poetry, but his solemn tone made me ache deep inside. I knew what he was talking about, his words striking a sensitive chord with every disgusted look we received. To him, writing was a way to drown himself in a world where he had control. A world above the surface that embraced his differences and thrived off of them, instead of making him fear the cruelty that was reality.

“Yeah,” I agreed, closing my eyes and letting the water lap over my body. “If only.”

We spent the majority of the day swimming until it began to get dark. When we finally got out of the pool, Haru made me promise to come back again soon, claiming it would be great inspiration for some of his poetry. I promised easily as I shepherded him over to the showers they had in the back. Unfortunately, there was another guy in there, so I couldn’t hop in with Haru and have some fun while we were rinsed off the chlorine. Instead, we showered separately, though I didn’t try to hide the way my eyes roamed over his body as he got dressed.

On our way out, we were stopped by the brunet that had reffed our race. The brunet, (Uozumi, he said his name was), told us to come back soon and have a race with him sometime. Haru didn’t look to keen about another race, but I said we would, giving us another reason to come back.

It had gotten dark out by the time we finally left, and my stomach was growling in need of food. After all that exercise, I had really worked up an appetite, and I assumed Haru had too. The day before, I had gone through a list of all the restaurants I had ever been to and picked the best one that was close by and served good food. The plus side was that it served mackerel too, which gained Haru’s approval as soon as I mentioned it.

We walked hand in hand to the restaurant, not flaunting that we were together but at the same time refusing to hide our relationship. Our hands stayed clasped until we were inside the restaurant and given  a table, only separating when we sat down across from each other. Even then, Haru’s ankles hooked around mine under the table, keeping us connected.

I talked his ear off as our orders were taken and we waited for our food to arrive. Haru was mostly silent, listening to my stories and every possible fact I could think of about myself. He would add something of his own every now and then, like how great of a woman his grandmother was, how she supported him in everything he did and told him he could be whatever he wanted. He even went into detail about the short story he was currently working on.

When the food came - grilled mackerel for Haru and chicken katsu for me - we took some time to enjoy the meal. It was delicious, the seasoning on the chicken making the flavors pop in my mouth. Haru looked like he was in heaven when he took a bite of his fish, making me feel like I had this date in the bag. Haru looked like he was genuinely enjoying himself, though he looked that way whenever he ate mackerel.

Over the meal, I told him about what was going on at work. I figured he'd find out soon anyway, and I felt like I needed to explain to somebody that my life was turning into a chick flick. He listened quietly as I told him about Ai's feelings and Momo's obliviousness, and he told me to just be there to support Ai if he needed it. Ai looked up to me, so it'd be my job to make sure he was okay and had someone to help him through the drama.

“It’s still pretty early,” I said as we were finishing our meal, glancing at the time. It was just past 7. “Do you wanna catch a movie after this?”

Swallowing his last piece of fish, Haru set down his chopsticks.

“A movie sounds nice, but how about we watch something at your place instead?”

I totally agreed, the idea of cuddling up with him to watch a movie at my apartment extremely appealing. When we were done, I asked for the bill. Haru fixed me with a glare when I pulled my wallet out to pay, but backed down when I wouldn’t listen to him. He just muttered “next time” and settled down, letting me pay.

The bill taken care of, we made our way home, the stars glittering in the night sky above us. The cool breeze ruffled our hair and I took a deep breath, enjoying our walk back to my place. We ran into a stray dog on the way, a cute little black puppy who ran between our legs in excitement. I knelt down to pet it, getting a happy bark and a lot of excited tail wagging in response. The puppy was distracted when someone else walked by, barking and chasing off after the woman. I entertained the thought of getting a dog someday as we continued walking, liking the idea of having something to come home to everyday.

It didn’t take too long, and before I knew it, I was opening the door to my apartment and letting Haru go in first. We took off our shoes and Haru made himself comfortable in the living room, going through my DVD collection to see what I had. I went to the kitchen to get us some drinks. When I came back with two cans in my hand, I saw Haru looking between two movies with furrowed brows.

“Action or horror?” he asked without looking up.

I sat down on the ground with my back against the couch, cracking open my soda can. “Action,” I decided. Haru popped in the movie, grabbing the remote before coming over to me.

I straightened my legs, opening them wider and patting the ground between them. Haru raised a brow but came over anyway, sitting in the space between my legs and leaning back against my chest. It was comfortable, and I wrapped one arm around his waist as he relaxed against me.

To my surprise, the movie he chose was an American film, meaning it was in English. He paid close attention when it started, and I turned on the subtitles just in case there was something he didn’t understand and he was too stubborn to ask. The movie itself wasn’t that great, just a generic guy-has-powers-saves-the-world-and-gets-the-girl kind of movie that had a lot of explosions. My attention was mostly on Haru. It was a lot more interesting watching him pay rapt attention to the movie, his mouth silently moving along whenever a character said a bigger word that was hard for him to pronounce. It was amazing how dedicated he was, how he used every opportunity he got to study the language he so desperately wanted to learn.

It was so easy to love this mackerel-obsessed, sweater-wearing, stubborn man that I had to wonder how I managed to land him before anyone else. He was gorgeous and confident, and he always looked at me with such softness that it made my heart melt.

Putting down my soda, I wrapped both arms around him, leaning my head forward and resting my chin on his shoulder. His eyes didn't move from the screen, but his hand shot up and started stroking my hair gently. I buried my face in the side of his neck, grinning against his skin as his fingers softly carded through my hair.

Not paying attention to the movie at all now, I started kissing his neck gently. I trailed my lips up from the place where his neck met his shoulder, kissing until I reached the curve of his jaw. My hand was slowly rubbing up and down his torso. Haru sighed, sagging against me as his fingers started to twirl my hair.

My kisses soon turned open-mouthed, tongue coming out to drag along his sweet skin. I felt him shiver in my arms, my tongue ring pressing against his neck. When I reached his earlobe, I gently bit on it, drawing out the tiniest of moans from him.

"Rin, the movie still has twenty minutes left," Haru said, eyes focused on the TV. His voice was lower and rougher than before, breath coming out in soft pants. "Rin-"

"I want to make love to you."

Well, fuck. That wasn't supposed to slip out. Not to mention is sounded cheesy as fuck.

Haru was frozen in my arms, not even seeming to be breathing. I was about to apologize, say that it just slipped out and we didn't have to move that fast.

But then his grip on my hair tightened and and he pulled my head down, turning his own slightly so our lips brushed together.

" _Yes_."

He kissed me passionately, lips moving slowly against mine. Totally happy with his answer, I kissed back just as hard, nipping on his lower lip until he opened then with a gasp. I took the chance to slip my tongue inside, exploring that hot mouth. I didn't think I'd ever get tired of kissing Haru like this, tongues sliding together wetly and coaxing the sweetest noises out of him.

He pulled on my hair when I sucked his tongue into my mouth, sending a pang of arousal through me. I groaned, pulling back slightly; damn, I had no idea I had a thing for getting my hair pulled.

"Bed," I growled out. "Now."

Haru quickly stood, pulling me up with him. He reconnected our mouths, hands clutching at my shirt as he blindly stepped backwards in the direction of my room. I guided us while at the same time devouring his lips, barely remembering how to breath.

By some miracle, we made it to my room without either of us falling, and then I found myself pulling Haru's sweater over his head. It fell to the floor in a heap and was soon followed by his shirt, leaving his chest blissfully bare. Running my hands over his soft skin, I pushed him onto the bed, crawling over him when he fell on his back.

Before I could go in for another kiss, his expression turned to one of confusion. He turned his head to the side, and I saw his eyes land on the book that was laying right next to his head. He reached over to grab it, eyes curious even with his semi pressing against my thigh.

"Wait, don't -" I started, my cheeks heating up as he opened the book - the manga - to a random page.

"I didn't know you were into yaoi manga, Rin."

Sure that my face resembled a tomato by now, I snatched the manga away from him. I glanced at the page he had been examining, horrified to find that he had opened it to the part where the uke had a huge and very detailed cock stuffed up his ass.

So maybe I was a little curious after Keiji got Sosuke yaoi manga.

I tossed the manga over the side of the bed, doing my best to glare at Haru.

"Not a word to anyone," I demanded.

Haru smirked, wrapping his arms around my neck and pulling me down for a kiss.

"Whatever you say."

Despite the embarrassment, my dick was still half hard, as I was reminded when Haru pushed his leg up between my legs. I moaned at the friction, feeling Haru's fingers making their way to the front of my shirt and unbuttoning it. When he had gotten the last button loose, he pushed the shirt off my shoulders and it joined the rest of our clothes on the floor.

Haru sucked on my lower lip, piercings and all. He spread his legs wider, letting me settle between them and rub our erections together, the barrier of our pants starting to get frustrating.

"Pants, off," Haru commanded, apparently thinking the same thing.

I wasted no time in unbuckling his belt, pulling down the zipper of his jeans as I sucked a mark right under his jaw. That would be there for a few days, in plain sight for everyone to see. Haru's hands were on me, working on my jeans with nimble fingers.  Soon enough, I was pulling his pants down his gorgeous legs, kicking off my own and leaving us only in our boxer briefs.

I paused then, looking down into Haru's lust blown eyes and commanding his attention.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked, voice low with arousal. "We can stop if you want to."

He stared back with complete seriousness, hands coming up to rest on either side of my face.

"If I wasn't sure, I would have said so already. Don't worry Rin, this is what I want."

His words helped me confirm that he wasn't just going along with this because I wanted it, and the little knot of uncertainty in my stomach started to unravel. I nodded, only to get a devilish smirk in response.

My whole world spun as Haru flipped us over, looming over me with desire in his eyes. Without a word, he slid down my body until he came face to face with my crotch, the outline of my cock clearly visible against my underwear. I pushed myself up on my elbows to watch as he took the band of my boxer briefs between his teeth, holding eye contact with me the entire time. He used his teeth to pull the fabric away from my skin, making my cock spring out when it was free. He continued pulling my underwear down until it was halfway down my legs, and then slipped it off the rest of the way with his hand. He came back up and kissed the tip of my erection, making me whimper with need. His tongue came out to lick a long stripe from base to tip, and then he sucked the head into his mouth. I threw my head back and groaned. If there was one thing that I’d learned about Haru over the last couple of months, it’s that he was amazing with his mouth. It only took him a few attempts at giving blowjobs to really master the technique, and now his mouth was sinful as it sucked me in. He alternated between bobbing his head and sucking, his hand stroking what he couldn’t reach. He’d barely even started when I felt ready to blow, unable to move my hips with the way Haru pinned them down with his arm.

“God, Haru…” I choked out, the pleasure burning and building.

“Hmm?” He hummed, sending vibrations through my length and making me groan.

“Babe, stop. It’ll be over before we even begin if you keep it up.”

He gave one last harsh suck before he removed his mouth with a _pop_. I tried to catch my breath as I pulled him back up to me, crashing our lips together in a bruising kiss. I switched our positions again, a thrill shooting up my spine at the thought of /this is it, we’re finally going all the way.

I pulled back, our breaths coming out harshly and our cocks painfully hard as they rubbed together. I gave him one last kiss before leaning over to the nightstand by my bead. Digging around, it didn’t take me long to find the bottle of lube and the box of condoms my mom had gifted me on Christmas, the package unopened and the bottle full since there was no reason to use them.

Until now, that is.

I ripped the package open, grabbing a condom and then settling down between Haru’s legs with the bottle of lube on the bed beside me.

“How do you want to do this?” I asked, running a hand up and down his leg.

Haru looked at me with fondness, his fingers burying themselves in my hair just the way I liked them.

“This is fine. I want to be able to see you.”

I smiled, kissing his navel before moving lower. I slid his underwear off, admiring his gorgeous body for a few seconds. My first order of business was to mark up his smooth white thighs. I was pretty sure by now that I had a thigh fetish, but the knowledge didn’t stop me from sucking and nibbling on the flesh there until there was a smattering of hickeys spread out over his pale skin. Satisfied with my work, I kissed my way to his cock, giving it a teasing lick. Haru moaned, hand tightening in my hair as I dipped my tongue - and with it, my piercing - into the slit, the cool metal making his cock jerk on reflex.

I gave his length teasing licks and sucks while my finger trailed down past his balls and into the crack between his cheeks. I felt the pucker of his hole beneath my finger, and Haru tensed as he sucked in a breath.

“Relax baby, I got you,” I reassured, gently circling my finger around his rim while at the same time suckling on the tip of his dick.

He let out a deep breath, relaxing and rubbing his fingers against my scalp. Confident that he would be okay, I slid my lips down his length and sucked on his balls, delighted at the breathy whines I heard from him. I didn’t remove my mouth as I grabbed under his knees and lifted his legs up, exposing his ass to me.

Haru’s cheeks were flushed, and he averted his eyes from me when I looked up, seemingly too embarrassed about his position to look at me. I bit my lip to contain my grin, working my mouth lower until I reached his pretty pink pucker and licked a broad stripe across it. His whole body jerked in response, his grip on my hair becoming painful.

“R-Rin! What are you -”

“Shh,” I soothed, kissing his thigh. “Like I said, I’ve got you. Just lay back and enjoy.”

He didn’t look too convinced, but I just gave him one last kiss before getting back to work.

I flicked my tongue against his entrance, circling it around his rim and trying to get him to relax. It didn’t feel too bad if the little noises he made were anything to go by. My licks started out soft, testing the waters and trying to figure out what he liked best. It didn’t taste bad, a hint of soap from his earlier shower present along with a musky taste that was uniquely Haru.

I closed my mouth over his hole, giving it a gentle suck and being rewarded by a gasp. Encouraged, I put extra effort into sucking and licking at his entrance, practically making out with in and enjoying myself way too much. After a while, I added some pressure until my tongue breached his rim, slipping inside of him and being engulfed in a tight heat.

“Rin! Oh fuck, Rin your tongue ring…” It was the first time I’d ever heard Haru swear, and it turned me on to no end. With renewed energy, I put all my efforts into opening him up with my tongue, thrusting it in an out and fucking him with it. A constant string of moans and gasps were all I heard from him, and when I felt like he was loose enough, I gently pushed in a finger next to my tongue.

He was tight and hot around my finger, and I could only imagine what it would feel like around my cock. I was painfully hard, but my first priority was to make sure he was ready. So, while I slowly slid my finger in and out, I put his other leg down too and reached over for the lube.

I pulled my tongue and finger out, uncapping the bottle and squirting some of the liquid onto my fingers. As I rubbed my fingers together to warm up the lube, I chanced a glance up to find Haru looking at me with unfocused eyes, his cock dripping against his stomach. I felt giddy knowing that I was the one who reduced him to this state, and we hadn’t even gotten to the main event yet.

With my fingers all slicked up, I easily slid one back into his entrance, shortly followed by a second. As I worked those two fingers inside of him, I leaned in for a kiss when he winced.

“Okay?” I asked softly.

Haru nodded, tracing my jaw with his fingers. “It’s fine. It burns a little, but I'll get used to it."

I scissored the two fingers, stretching him open as I licked over his collarbones and made my way to his nipples. I sucked one into my mouth at the same time I added a third finger, distracting him from the stretch with the pleasure from his chest. I switched over to the other nipple as I thrust my fingers in and out, rubbing against his inner walls.

When I curled my fingers, I brushed over a little bump that made Haru throw his head back against the pillow and stifle a scream.

“Looks like I found the magic button,” I teased, ruthlessly rubbing over his prostate repeatedly. Haru looked like he could barely contain himself, eyes screwed shut and fists clenching in the sheets.

“Rin, _fuck_ … ah, I’m ready. I’m ready just _hurry up_ …”

Well, how could I resist if he said it like that?

Deciding to show him some mercy, I nudged his sweet spot just once more before pulling my fingers out. I picked up the condom, ripping it open with my teeth in a way I hoped looked sexy. I rolled it over my aching cock, squirting more lube onto my hand and slicking myself up, giving myself a few extra strokes to take the edge off a little bit. I leaned over Haru again, using one arm to support myself. I nudged my cock against his entrance, kissing him lightly on the lips.

“I love you so much…” I whispered, and slowly pushed myself inside.

A low moan ripped itself from my throat because _he_ _was so fucking tight._ Even after all the prep, he was squeezing around me in a way I’d never felt before. With a groan, I dropped my head into the crook of his neck. He tangled his fingers in my hair again, holding me to him as he breathed deeply. I moved my hips back and forth, working my way inside him until I bottomed out. It took all of my willpower to stay still, every fiber of my being wanting to let loose and start pounding him into the mattress. I didn’t move, though, letting him adjust to the intrusion.

“I love.. you too...” Haru panted, holding me close. “You can move now, Rin…” He added after a few moments.

With my face still buried in his neck, I slowly pulled myself out until only the head was inside, then pushed forward again.

We both moaned at the same time as my hips met flush against his.

From there, I set a slow pace, afraid I’d cum too soon if I went any faster. Haru’s cock lay hot and heavy between us, smearing precum on my belly every time I thrusted my hips. Haru’s legs came up and wrapped around my waist, hooking his ankles together. He was panting in my ear, mouthing at the side of my face.

When I felt more in control, I pushed myself up and sat on my knees, the speed of my thrusts increasing. I was transfixed with the sight of my cock disappearing into his hole, loving the way he looked stretched around me. Soon enough, the sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, accompanied by our moans and grunts.

It took a bit of searching, but I angled my hips just right and hit his prostate dead on.

“Right there!” Haru all but screamed, louder than I’d ever heard him before. He had a white-knuckled grip on the pillow under his head, eyes shut tight. “God, yes, right there!”

I unhooked his legs from around my waist, hiking them up on my shoulders and putting more force into my thrusts, trying to hit his sweet spot every time. I leaned forward, nearly bending him in half as I worked my hips harder and faster, groaning out in pleasure. I managed to hit his prostate on every other thrust, watching as Haru’s hand flew to his own cock, taking it in hand and jerking it quickly.

“Open your eyes,” I demanded, feeling the heat pooling and knowing I wouldn’t last long now. “Look at me, Haru.”

He did. Haru opened his eyes, looking straight at me as his hand flew over his cock, slick with precum.

“Close,” he gasped, his toes curling.

I was too, and so I leaned as far as I could, gripping onto his thighs so hard that I was sure there would be bruises by tomorrow. I licked at his throat, then bit down at his pulse point to the point where I almost drew blood.

That seemed to do it for him, and with a delicious moan, he came, coating his hand and our stomachs in his release. He was clenching around me and I couldn’t hold back anymore. My hips stuttered as I came, filling up the condom as my orgasm ripped through me. It was more intense than anything I had ever experienced, and I kept thrusting shallowly until we were both too sensitive.

I let Haru’s legs down, not pulling out yet and instead deciding to kiss him. The kiss wasn’t driven by lust and passion anymore; it was sweet and gentle and held love, and for a few minutes, we kissed blissfully.

“It would be a good idea to pull out now,” Haru said after a few minutes. “We need to clean up.”

As much as I didn’t want to move, he was right. I pulled out of him, my cock soft now. I slipped off the condom, tying it and throwing it into the trash can beside my bed. I got up and stretched, legs feeling like jelly.

“Stay there, I’ll get something to clean you up.”

Haru seemed content to follow orders, eyes dropping low with tiredness. I made my way to the bathroom, wiping off my stomach and wetting a washcloth for Haru. I came back to find him almost asleep, dirty hand laying against his stomach. Gently, I wiped off the cum, dropping the washcloth on the floor afterwards because I couldn’t be bothered to move anymore. I climbed into bed next to Haru, pulling him to me and tangling our legs together. He gave a pleased hum and snuggled closer as we enjoyed the post-coital bliss. I peppered his face with kisses, loving the way he smiled slightly at the affection.

“Do you have classes tomorrow?” I muttered, realizing how late it was.

“Not until ten,” he answered, peeking up at me. “Makoto promised to cover for me if I wasn’t back tonight…”

I grinned, silently thanking Makoto. “Then I guess it’s settled. The cafe opens at 9, we can leave together in the morning.”

Haru smiled back, kissing my lips. “Perfect.”

He stifled a yawn, throwing an arm over my chest and closing his eyes again. I reached for the comforter, pulling it over us and reveling in the warmth.

I kissed Haru’s forehead, sleep threatening to take over. “‘Night, babe.”

“Goodnight, Rin.” Haru replied, words slurred with sleep.

With a smile and a blissfully tired body, I let the pull of unconsciousness take over, falling asleep with Haru in my arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Referencing the canon in an AU is always fun. I haven't written actual smut in almost a year, so I'm curious about what you guys think.  
> I didn't actually plan on any MomoTori in the beginning, but then my cousin brought up the idea and I decided to give it a shot. Having an irritable and bitchy AI is always fun!  
> Comments are always appreciated, so leave your thoughts!


	23. Baby be with me so Happily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys learn that morning sex isn't always lazy, and Sosuke has no faith in redheads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title shamelessly taken from the song Happily by One Direction.

_Haru_

I awoke to a warm body pressed up against my back and teeth nipping at my ear. I kept my eyes closed as I became more aware of my surroundings, realizing that the comforter was only draped over my legs and that Rin had a strong arm wrapped around my middle, keeping me pressed flush against him. My breath caught in my throat when he rolled his hips; Rin was hard and leaking where his hips met my backside, and I couldn't hold in the low moan that escaped me at the feeling.

"'Morning," Rin breathed in my ear, making me shiver.

"Good morning," I replied. My voice was still rough after just waking up, and I tilted my head slightly so I could look at him.

Rin was staring back at me, just a ring of red visible outside of the pool of black. His eyes flickered to my lips, and then he was leaning in kiss me, the gentleness of the kiss a stark contrast to how aroused he looked.

"How are you feeling?" He asked once we had parted. It took me a moment to understand what he was talking about, and I shifted my hips before answering. There was some discomfort in my lower back, but nothing too extreme.

Besides, any and all pain would be worth it if I could get my way now.

"A little uncomfortable, but..." I ground my ass back against his erection, making him gasp and his eyelids flutter. “I wouldn’t say no to round two.”

“Fuck, Haru…” He moaned breathlessly.

“That’s the intention, yes.”

“We have about 45 minutes before I need to get ready for work. I’m going to make you come so hard, baby.”

“Then I suggest you stop talking and do something.”

I felt Rin shift behind me, leaning away most likely to retrieve the lubricant that we had discarded last night. I didn’t bother changing my position, staying on my side and lazily stroking my own cock to full hardness. I was comfortable in bed, warm and enjoying the tingling pleasure from my hand.

Rin moved back into position, kissing behind my ear as he dropped the bottle of lube and a condom in front of me. Propping himself on one elbow, he ran his free hand down my side until it wrapped around the fingers on my cock.

“Got so hard thinking of last night,” Rin whispered in my ear. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation of his hot breath on my skin. “Loved hearing you moan when I ate out that pretty hole of yours. You liked that, huh? Liked it when I fucked you with my tongue?”

My response was a low moan, because he was right. I loved how his tongue felt opening me up, hot and wet. His words made me shiver and his low voice was sinful in my ear. He gave my erection one last squeeze before grabbing the lube and uncapped the bottle.

“Hold your leg up, Haru,” Rin ordered. I obeyed, abandoning my leaking cock in favor of holding my leg. If he were to look at me from the front, I would no doubt be embarrassed by how I looked, laying on my side and leg up in the air to give him easier access. I jerked in response to the cool liquid of Rin’s lube covered fingers circling my entrance. “You feel kind of swollen here. Want me to go slow?”

His concern was shining through despite the dirty words he was whispering not a minute ago, and though it was sweet, the fire in my belly demanded to be sated quickly and roughly. I looked over my shoulder to lock eyes with him.

“What I want is for you to hurry, Rin. We’re short on time.”

He nodded, pressing a kiss to my lips and ignoring any morning breath.

“Tell if you want me to slow down.” After he spoke those words, his whole demeanor changed again, and he plunged a finger inside without warning. I gasped, back arching as I clenched around his finger. “Still so fucking tight, Haru. Gonna open you up and fuck you so good, you won’t remember anything but my name.”

I didn’t think I’d ever wanted anything more, just the thought of how good he felt inside me last night making me impossibly harder. My free hand was clutching the pillow under my head as he slid his finger in and out while muttering obscenely in my ear. He added more lube and slipped in a second finger alongside the first, scissoring them and stretching me open. The third finger brought with it a slight burn, and I reveled in the pleasure and pain, excited for what I knew was coming. Rin curled his fingers just the right way, hitting the spot deep inside me that drew out a strangled moan my lips.

“Fuck, you sound so _good_ ,” Rin panted, obviously turned on. “Ready for my cock, Haru?”

My hips were moving down on his fingers, trying to push them in deeper. I groaned, impatient with him for asking and not just _doing_.

“Yes, now _hurry_.”

He didn’t waste another moment and slid his fingers out. I whimpered at the loss, but was soon rewarded with the sound of the condom wrapper ripping open. I heard Rin grunt behind me as he slipped it on, and the next thing I knew, the head of his swollen cock was nudging against my entrance. His lips latched onto a spot on the back of my neck, and then he was slowly pushing in. I bit my lip, the burn of the stretch making my breath catch. He stilled when he was fully inside and grabbed my leg behind the knee, allowing me to let go as he held it up.

“Move,” I panted after a moment of adjusting.

He started slow, pumping his hips and moaning about how good I felt. It felt amazing to be filled so completely, and I closed my eyes to focus on the way he was sliding in and out of me. I reached back and threaded my fingers in his hair, pulling it the way I had learned he liked. It made him groan and he picked up a faster rhythm, snapping his hips forward and and nibbling at my neck.

“So good, babe,” he said. “Taking my cock so well, sucking me in like you just need to have it.”

My head was tipped back onto his shoulder, and he used that opportunity to kiss me. It was all tongue and saliva, messy and passionate and so, so good. When he brushed up against my prostate, I just barely avoided biting his lip off from the jolt of pleasure that shot up my spine. My moans were filling the room, mixing with the sound of slapping skin and Rin’s harsh breaths. His fingers were digging into my leg and I was demanding him for more, harder, faster, _deeper_. With every other thrust, he was slamming into my sweet spot and the pleasure was coiling in my lower abdomen. I reached down to stroke myself in time with his thrusts, feeling closer and closer to the edge.

With a twist of my wrist and and one last hard thrust from Rin, I was coming with  a drawn out moan, my release dirtying the sheets. Rin cursed, his hips stuttering as he filled the condom, fucking us both through our orgasms. We laid there sated and covered in sweat, and Rin was pressing gentle kisses all over my neck and shoulder. He let my leg down and I breathed in deeply, the urge to curl up and go back to sleep overwhelming now that I'd been sated. Rin was murmuring how much he loved me, his softening cock still buried inside me.

I smiled, bringing his hand up to my lips and kissing his knuckles.

"I love you, too, Rin."

I felt his lips curving into a smile where they were pressed to my neck. With one final kiss,, he pulled out and got up, and I rolled onto my back to watch him discard the used condom. He stretched, his back muscles flexing and his shark tattoo standing out against his skin. My eyes were drawn to his firm ass as he moved around the room, picking up the clothing we had shed yesterday.

"Ass as fine as the rolling hills," I began, "Muscles prominent and sharp,

He is a ferocious beast in bed,

And has a nice, thick cock."

Rin spun around, blushing fiercely. "Are you really coming up with poems about my ass and sex?"

"It's a valid topic," I said, smirking.

He rolled his eyes and threw a shirt at me, which he had pulled from his closet.

"Shut up and get your ass up, we have to shower and get moving."

I sighed, wishing I could go back to sleep. I forced myself to move, wincing when I stood. Maybe going to hard for my first and second times wasn't such an intelligent idea. I slowly walked over to Rin, who was rummaging through his closet for clothes. I caught sight of myself in the full length mirror, pausing to examine my body.

I was covered in love bites.

Hickies dotted my thighs, chest, and neck, and I was certain I saw teeth marks on my shoulder. There were bruises on my thighs like Rin's fingerprints, and if I hadn't already come earlier, I was sure I would be hard from just the sight. There was definitely no way I would be able to hide the marks on my neck without a scarf.

Rin was laying out two pairs of clothes on his bed, one presumably for me since he were practically the same size. I walked over and took his face in my hands, ignoring his questioning gaze as I started sucking and biting a mark right under his jaw. He moaned weakly at the attention, and when I pulled back, I was pleased to see that the hickey was bright red and completely visible.

"If I have to endure Nagisa's teasing for all the marks on my neck, then it's only fair you should as well," I said. Rin looked a little bewildered, but ended up shrugging.

"Come on, let's shower and then we can get some breakfast. "

Rin stripped the bed of its sheets, going to put them in the washer while I padded down to the bathroom to start the shower. My ass and lower back were aching, and I leaned against the wall of the shower on my forearms as the hot water cascaded down on me. I didn't notice Rin joining me until I felt his fingers skimming over my hips.

"Guess I was a little too rough," he mumbled.

"I wanted it," I simply stated.

He didn't argue, instead beginning to gently massage my lower back. He soaped up his hands and moved his thumbs in firm circles, drawing out some of the pain. I sighed, relaxing into his touch and letting him carry on.

He continued the massage for a few more minutes, at which point I felt much better. We proceeded to get clean, Rin helping me wash my hair and scrub my body down. When we stepped out of the shower, I dried off and put on the jeans and blue t-shirt Rin had picked out for me. I felt a little strange without a sweater, but I figured I could just slip one on when I got back to the dorms.

Rin was blow drying his hair with a towel wrapped around his waist, so I volunteered to make breakfast. That earned me a kiss and grin, and so I made my way to the kitchen to see what he had in stock.

I was disappointed to find no mackerel and made a mental note to make sure Rin bought some for next time. Instead, I got a few eggs and cheese and proceeded to make omelettes. Me were short on time; Rin needed to leave in less than fifteen minutes if he wanted to make it to work on time, so I stuck with something simple.

The omelettes plated, I called out to him to announce that breakfast was ready. Rin joined me a minute later, dressed in dark jeans and a band tee. He kissed my cheek and sat down, digging into his omelette without a second thought. Warmth filled my chest with how domestic this all was; it was a bit scary, but I found myself wishing that this was how I could spend every morning, waking up next to Rin and eating breakfast before going about our daily tasks.

Sitting down was extremely uncomfortable, and I was shifting in my seat every few seconds. Rin noticed and looked at me with concern.

"Are you gonna be okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, don't worry. Most of my lectures today aren't very important. If need be, I'll say that I'm sick and just stay in my room."

He bit his lip, looking apologetic. He reached over and took my hand in his own, comforting me. He didn't need to; it wasn't as if I didn't want it, but the gesture was nice. We ate the rest if our meal in comfortable silence, which I had always preferred, even if everything Rin said was interesting.

There was no time to worry about the dishes as we rushed about, slipping on shoes and getting our bags. Once we made sure we had everything, we left the apartment together and made our way to the Sharkbait Cafe. I listened quietly to Rin rambling on about something or other, and in no time at all, we standing in front of the cafe.

"You want to come in?" Rin asked.

I shook my head, leaning up to kiss him. "I should get going, Makoto must be wondering why I haven't come back yet."

He looked a little disappointed, but smiled nonetheless, kissing me long and deep.

"Later, then."

I left him standing in front of the shop, mentally preparing myself for the inevitable teasing and deciding that today was going to be spent in bed.

And if I wrote poetry in my head about Rin's body, then no one had to know.

* * *

_Rin_

I felt on top of the world as I put my apron on and got ready to work. The grin on my face refused to budge, and it was quickly noticed by Sei and Sosuke. They looked at each other with eyebrowsed raised, and then rounded on me.

"Looks like someone got laid," Sei said with a smirk.

"Don't know what you're talking about," I said, even as my grin grew wider.

"You're practically glowing, Matsuoka. And that hickey's not helping your case."

Blushing, I slapped a hand over the mark that Haru had gave me that morning. There wasn't really a point in hiding it; I _did_ get laid and it was fucking /awesome.

"Hm, you're not limping," Sosuke observed. "I could have sworn you were a bottom."

I shoved him, blushing to the tips of my ears. "Shouldn't you be getting to work?"

They both laughed, exchanging high fives and continuing to tease me for a few more minutes. My face was crimson by the time they left me alone and got to work, but I was still happy and feeling invincible.

Until it was midmorning and Momo and Ai came in.

The cafe was instantly filled with tension and I remembered what exactly had gone down the day before. Ai looked pissed and annoyed, and Momo trailed behind him uncertainly. They didn't even greet Sosuke and I before going to the kitchen. I shared a look with Sosuke, not knowing what to make of it.

"I talked to Ai yesterday," Sosuke filled me in. "He was damn near tears. He's just frustrated, because Momo had no clue and he’s always so close to him. It’s a lot like it was for me, Ai’s just handling it differently. I told him that no matter what, he should value Momo’s friendship, because I’m sure he doesn’t want to lose that.” Sosuke shrugged. “I think he just needs to work the irritation at Momo’s obliviousness out of his system.”

I nodded in understanding. I felt kind of bad for Momo, because I couldn’t imagine Sosuke being annoyed at me just because I wasn’t aware of his feelings. Still, Sosuke and I had known each other our whole lives, while Ai and Momo had only known each other for a little over a year.

I was confident they could work it out, so I got back to work without worrying, tending to the customers that slowly trickled in. My mind would occasionally drift off to Haru, making the smile I put on for customers a lot brighter. I couldn’t resist texting him throughout the day, asking him how he was and if he was going to class. He replied saying that he didn’t have any important classes (aka Literature) to attend, so he was spending the day writing in bed.

I was in the middle of sending a reply when the kitchen door burst open and Sei came out, dragging Ai behind him by the scruff of his neck.

“The tension in there is thicker than the cakes we’re baking,” Sei grumbled, pushing a sheepish Ai forward. “He’s working up front with you guys. Give him something to do before I bust a vein.”

With that, he went back into the kitchen, leaving Ai to slump over on the counter. I patted his back, trying to think of something to say. Haru had told me I should give him advice, but just what was I supposed to say? I wasn’t exactly the best when it came to feelings; I’m not even sure how I managed to get a boyfriend.

“You know, there’s nothing you can do if he’s straight,” I said after a while, thankful that there were no customers in line at the moment, even if it was packed in the cafe.

Ai sighed, resting his chin on his palm. “I know. And I don’t want him to change or anything. It’s just… I really hoped he’d catch on. He always throws his arm around me and leans in close, I thought _maybe_ he felt something. But obviously I was wrong.”

“You’re his best friend, Ai. Maybe he just doesn’t see guys that way, or he doesn’t want to screw up your friendship. Have you talked to him?”

Ai’s irritation was replaced by guilt, and he looked away. “I figured I should try to accept it before I talk to him again. Besides, I have a right to be pissed for at least a day!”

“Fine, I’ll give you that. But don’t leave him hanging, yeah? He probably feels bad and is worried you hate him now.”

“How can I hate him when I love him?” Ai muttered under his breath.

My heart went out to them both, especially to Momo, who spent the rest of the day being ignored. Ai helped Sosuke and I out up front, and whenever Momo left the kitchen, he’s turn away and pretend he hadn’t seen him. Momo looked like a kicked puppy, but he didn’t try to talk to Ai. The day passed in awkward silence between the two, when usually they were the ones keeping everything fun and lively. When we all headed home, it was with the knowledge that they hadn’t exchanged a single word all day, even if Momo had looked like he wanted to.

The next day was slightly better, if only because Ai initiated conversation. Momo looked thrilled to be speaking to him again, and I saw a hint of a smile on Ai’s lips. The rest of us breathed a sigh of relief, because Crew Bonding days would have been awkward if those two weren’t friends.

Throughout the day, I caught Momo staring silently at Ai when Ai wasn’t looking. He looked like he was deep in thought, and then would quickly looked away before he was caught. I shrugged it off, too busy with work to ask what was up and trusting Momo to solve whatever it was.

Haru’s gang came in sometime in the afternoon, grabbing a table closest to the counter. Keiji joined them soon after, and I was enjoying listening to Nagisa’s stories while I took orders. He teased both me an Haru for a bit, though I was proud that I could see a lot of hickeys dotting Haru’s neck. Nagisa was always fun to be around, even if he was a little shit. He had the best stories, though, so I couldn’t complain too much. (“And so, so he said, ‘You’re going straight to hell!’” He was saying at one point, talking about his run in with some homophobic asshole. “And so I looked him right in the eye and said ‘First of all, I am never going _straight_.’ You shoulda seen the look on his face!”).

It was amusing, and with the tension gone, I could finally relax and hope things would be alright.

It wasn’t until we were closing up the next day that Momo’s silent contemplation came to light. He and Ai were on better terms now, but it was clear Momo never mentioned Ai’s feelings. So it came as a surprise to everyone when he cleared his throat and spoke up when we were cleaning.

“Hey, Ai?” Momo asked, looking nervous. We all stared at him, a little surprised.

“Yeah?” Ai asked cautiously.

Momo fidgeted with the handle of the broom he was holding. “Um, I’m not really sure if - if I can return your feelings or not,” he said, and _yes_ , Momo, don’t make this conversation private or anything.

Ai looked beyond disappointed, but he quickly schooled his features and gave a small smile. “It’s okay, Momo. I don’t blame you for being straight.”

“That’s just it! I don’t really know what I am.” Momo looked distressed, and he couldn’t keep eye contact with Momo as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. “I just… I’ve never actually thought about myself with another guy before, you know? I’m obviously not against gays or anything; I’m literally surrounded by them everyday. I guess I just saw how pretty Gou-san is and, well, I’ve never actually questioned my sexuality before… But these past couple of days, I’ve been thinking beyond that, and I’m not really sure anymore.” He made eye contact with Ai then, who was staring back with his mouth tightly shut. “You’re my best friend, Ai, and I don’t want to lose that. I’m really sorry I didn’t know how you felt and put you through that, but you - you _confuse_ me. I like you, but I don’t know if it’s the same kind of like you have for me.”

He paused, and Ai looked down at the counter, biting his lip. Momo seemed frustrated, though with himself or Ai, I didn’t know.

“I-I’ve been thinking,” he continued, and Ai raised his head again. “This probably sounds stupid and insensitive and I’d totally understand if you want to punch me or something, but - but do you think we could give it a shot?”

Ai stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, I just… I already hurt you, but I was thinking… If it’s okay with you, can we just spend more time together or something? Like, a-alone. Just so I can see what I think about - about being with a guy?”

Momo was completely flustered by the end of his little speech. Ai was speechless, and the rest of us were trying to melt in with the walls so they could sort this out.

Ai’s cheeks were pink and he ducked his head, and probably like the rest of us, he didn’t know what to  say. There was a moment of silence in which we all held our breaths, before Ai looked back up.

“I-I need to think about it,” he said, giving a tentative smile. “Let me sleep on it, okay?”

Momo sighed, smiling back. “Yeah, okay.”

He turned around and got back to sweeping, glancing back at Ai every now and then. Sosuke, Sei, and I breathed a collective sigh of relief, hoping for the best.

*****

“Okay,” Ai said the next day, determined yet looking nervous. Momo stared, wide eyed and disbelieving.

“Okay?” He repeated.

Ai nodded, blushing to the tips of his ears and giving a shy smile. “If spending more time together can help you figure out what you want, then yeah, I’m okay with it.”

Momo stuttered over a thanks, while Sosuke and I exchanged a glance. This was going to be interesting, if it didn’t end in a disaster.

The next few days were spent watching Momo and Ai being attached to the hip even more than before. They spent every free minute they had together, whether it be at work or outside of it. Momo started having fun again, though he would get nervous and blush, making us all laugh. Ai seemed happier now that he got to spend more time with Momo, and he would look at Momo with the softest expression.

To be totally honest, this whole thing scared the crap out of me. I was terrified Ai would end up even more hurt than before, and then what were we supposed to do? I warned him, and he just told me with a sad expression that he knew, that he didn’t expect this to go anywhere, but he wanted to help Momo figure out what he wanted. It was depressing, seeing him be so happy with Momo but not believing it would ever go anywhere.

Whenever Momo was alone, he was completely lost in thought and barely paid attention to his surroundings, which resulted in a few burnt pastries. Sei told him off and he grinned sheepishly, promising to get it together. Their interactions got so interesting to the point where Sosuke, Sei, and I made a bet on whether or not they would actually start dating.

Sosuke was convinced that it wouldn’t work, having experienced heartbreak at the hands of a redhead himself. I gave Momo the benefit of the doubt, if only for Ai’s sake. With how hard he tried to make others happy, he deserved some happiness too. There was no way I was betting against him. Sei believed in his brother, saying he’d come around. And so the bet was set, even if it was fucked up that we were betting on our friends getting together.

Throughout the week, Haru and the others visited whenever they could. The end of the school year wasn’t too far away, and they all needed good coffee to keep them running. Makoto looked exhausted, practically melting in Sei’s arms when they hugged. Nagisa complained about something every second, and Rei was muttering what sounded like scientific formulas under his breath. Gou was complaining right along with Nagisa, and it took me almost an hour to realize that Momo was nowhere to be seen.

Haru was so stressed that he grabbed me by the wrist one day and dragged me to the cafe bathroom, locking the door and slamming me up against it, kissing me until I was breathless. I decided to take my break then and proceeded to give him the best blowjob ever, swallowing down every last drop of his come. Needless to say, he was a lot less tense after that, though a lot more cuddly as he clung to me until I had to get back to work.

The cafe was filled with students, and at one point a whole group of high schoolers filled up the place. They were all dressed in what looked like black and orange volleyball uniforms. The short, orange haired guy in the number 10 jersey was bickering with his taller, black haired teammate in the number 9 jersey over what type of cake was better. It was a heated argument that left Sosuke and I staring, until their captain gave a creepy smile and told them to behave and just order already. That got the two guys on track, and we finally took all the orders (If numbers 9 and 10 weren't together, then I'd eat my beanie).

MomoTori, as we had dubbed Momo and Ai, were actually making progress. Momo was nervous as hell, but Ai found it cute. He’d throw an arm around Ai like he always did, but then blush when he realized how close they were. It was like he was constantly trying to figure out how much space between them was acceptable, how much he was comfortable with. I couldn’t help but be excited when Momo tentatively reached for Ai’s hand when they were leaving for the day. Ai’s face lit up, and he laced their fingers together, leading Momo out of the cafe and leaving me to give Sei a high-five.

In the week leading up to the last day of school, we got help from Keiji, Makoto, and the others on planning a party for Sei’s graduation. We decided to set it up in the Mikoshibas’ house on the day of, but for now we planned on what food to have, who would get what, and all the technical stuff. Sei’s parents would be there too, but old man Mikoshiba gave us the go ahead to go crazy with the party. It would count as an end of year celebration for everyone else, too, so they were all glad to pitch in and help.

“Senpai,” Ai said when he was helping me up front while Sosuke attended a lecture. “Did you know I used to have the biggest crush on you?”

I whipped my head around, stunned. “You’re joking, right?”

Ai laughed softly, shaking his head. “I’m completely serious. I always looked up to you, you were so cool, not to mention good-looking.”

“Are you saying I’m not cool now?” I muttered, embarrassed. “Why do so many people like me, anyway? What did I do?”

“Maybe it’s just the piercings,” he suggested with a grin. “They look good on you.”

“Only like me ‘cause of the metal on my face, huh? I didn’t think you were so shallow, Ai.”

He let out a loud laugh, drawing attention from the customers. “I don’t feel that way anymore, obviously. Besides, you and Nanase-san make a good couple.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, only now noticing that Momo had stopped midway through adding fresh cakes to the display. I’d completely forgotten he was there, and from the way Ai paid him no attention, it looked like he had too. Momo frowned, slowly finishing up the arrangement and getting to his feet. I swear I could feel him glaring a hole through my head as he retreated to the kitchen.

Looking back at Ai, I saw him biting back a smile as his eyes flitted back from the kitchen door to the girl approaching the counter.

That sly bastard.

More like manipulative bastard, because a second later, Momo came bursting back out, walked quickly up to Ai, pecked his cheek, and disappeared back into the kitchen in five seconds flat. Ai flushed, and I had a pretty good feeling about the bet.

A few days later, it was 6AM on Friday morning, and I was dragging myself to Sei’s place to help set up for the party later. By the time I got there, Sosuke was already inside and Sei had left to get everything settled at school. Momo, who didn’t have his final lectures until later, helped us get started. We put up banners, balloons, and stocked the fridge with soda and beer. Slowly throughout the morning, the others trickled in one by one to help out whenever they had free time. I spent most of my time helping Sei’s mom with the cooking, listening to her gush about how her son was finally graduating and would start his cop training next month.

With everything set up for Sei’s return, we all changed into more fitting clothes and headed over to his university to attend the ceremony. I sat between Haru and Makoto, the latter shining with pride for his boyfriend. I was proud too, because Sei worked hard with both work and school, and seeing him standing up there having accomplished something made me want to work that much harder. So I clapped and cheered with everything I had when his name was called, willing myself not to cry because that would just suck.

Sei was grinning so wide it must have hurt, but his eyes locked on Makoto and the pure joy in his golden eyes made me grab Haru’s hand and give him a soft kiss on the cheek.

The graduation ceremony was followed by a million pictures that Mikoshiba-san just demanded to take. Gou was right behind her, phone in hand and snapping away. We all gave Sei a hug (and by extension, Makoto, since Sei refused to let him go), and then we were off to celebrate at his house.

There were drinks and food that consisted of chicken, rice and even sheppard’s pie. As always, I fought with Momo about the music choices, but we both lost out to Keiji, who had snatched the remote to the stereo and picked a song he liked, sticking his tongue out at us. After a couple of hours of celebrating with their son, Sei’s parents decided to go out and leave the house to us for a while.

“Just make sure it’s in one piece when we get back!” Mikoshiba-san called out as they left. As soon as the door closed behind them, Nagisa the devil was unleashed, and the party went up to whole nother level. Sei wasn’t paying attention to a thing, too busy making out with Makoto on the couch.

“Don’t have sex!” Nagisa shouted at them. I laughed, barely noticing that Sosuke was tugging on my arm.

“What?” I asked, turning to him.

His response was to motion to where Momo was pulling Ai into the kitchen, and I immediately caught on.

“I think it's time to find out who wins the bet,” he said, and I followed him over to peek inside.

Momo was standing a few inches away from Ai, staring down at his feet with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“I - uh - I think I’ve figured out what I want,” he started, and Ai's face instantly fell.

“Oh,” was all  he said, and I could tell he was doing his best to smile and seem like he wasn’t affected.

“I just… You’re really great, Ai,” Momo continued, finally looking up. “You didn’t have to go along with this for the past couple of weeks, but you did and I can’t thank you enough for that.”

Ai forced a laugh, giving a small smile. “I’m just glad I could help you figure things out.”

Momo nodded. “You really did, and I think I got my answer. There’s just - just one more thing I wanna try to see if I’m right.”

Ai furrowed his brow in confusion. “Okay? What is it?”

Momo’s nerves were showing again, but before he could second guess himself, he leaned down and captured Ai’s lips in a kiss. It was chaste and soft, and Ai stood there stunned, obviously not having expected that. Momo pulled away before Ai could even react, cheeks bright crimson.

“Yeah,” Momo said, sounding a little breathless. “Yeah, I got my answer. I-If you still want me, that is.”

Ai’s mouth hung open, blue eyes wide and unbelieving. Momo smiled shyly, something that was completely out of character for him.

“Yeah, yeah I still want you,” Ai finally said, snapping out of his trance. “But… are you sure?”

Momo reached forward, taking both of Ai’s hands in his. “I’m sure. I mean, this whole thing’s been kinda crazy, because I’ve never thought of guys that way before. But you’re - you’re really amazing, Ai. You’re funny and fun to be around, and you don’t have a problem pointing out when I’m being an idiot. You’re, uh, you’re c-cute too, so there’s  that.” He gave a soft chuckle, smiling at the way Ai was grinning up at him, blush staining his cheeks.

“If you’re sure,” Ai said, and then hesitated for just a second before stealing another kiss, this one just as soft and chaste as the one before.

At this point, I pulled Sosuke away from the door, grinning wide.

“You owe me some yen, Sosuke. That’s what you get for not believing!”

Sosuke rolled his eyes, though he was smiling. “Well sorry for losing my faith in redheads. I was sure Momo was straight as an arrow.”

“First of all, Ai didn’t just kiss him out of nowhere, so he had a better chance. And second, Momo’s surrounded by the gayest people on the planet. I’m not surprised he’s actually bi.”

Sosuke shrugged, pulling out his wallet and forking over the cash he owed me. “At least Sei’s too busy sucking Makoto’s face off to demand his money now.”

“Did someone mention face-sucking?” Keiji came up next to Sosuke, wrapping an arm around him with a grin. “You wanna make out, babe? Because I’m totally down for that.”

I snickered at Sosuke’s blush, catching the wink Keiji shot me.

“Well I’m gonna go find Haru. Enjoy your face sucking, or whatever.”

I left them in search of my own boyfriend, who was sitting quietly and listening to Rei talking about the beauty of physics to a bored Nagisa and a somewhat interested Gou. I plopped down on the couch beside him (the one free of a lip-locked couple), pulling his legs into my lap. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I smiled and kissed him.

“MomoTori’s got a happy ending, and I just became a little richer, so life’s pretty good at the moment,” I said. Haru smiled, gently stroking my hair just the way I liked it.

“That’s good. Speaking of, Seijuurou says everyone gets the entire weekend off. Do you have any plans?”

“Nothing yet. Though I was hoping to spend it with you.”

Haru’s eyes filled with warmth, and my heart fluttered at the love that was clear in his eyes.

“Well,” he said softly, “Makoto and I are both going back home tomorrow morning. I haven’t actually been home since the school year started, so I was planning on spending this week off there. Would you like to spend the weekend with me there?”

“Really?” I asked excitedly. I’d never been to Haru’s house, the house that his grandmother owned and was his home since he was a kid.

“Makoto told me he invited you to his house, so this could be the best opportunity to go. We could spend Saturday there, then spend the night at mine and on Sunday I could take you on a date.”

Ginning wide, I kissed him in a way I hoped showed how much I loved him.

“Sounds like the perfect plan. I’ll meet you tomorrow bright and early. Congrats on getting through your second year, Haru.”

Haru curled up closer to me, laying his head on my shoulder as we listened to the music blasting through the speakers and the others chatting happily around us.

I couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can tell, I cannot write angst for the life of me, so of course MomoTori had a happy ending! Congrats to Sei for graduating, and I really hope you guys liked the chapter!  
> I'd love to hear your thoughts and you can follow me on Instagram @rin_sexy_matsuoka!


	24. Waterproof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin visits the Tachibana's. Fun times ensue.

"I'm actually really excited," Makoto said, face lit up with a broad smile.

We got off the train with our bags in tow, though mine was a simple overnight bag compared to Haru and Makoto’s suitcases. I’d only be spending the night at Haru’s, while they would be spending their whole week off at their family homes.

“Yeah,” I agreed, though my heart was racing. It’s not that I was nervous or anything, not really. It was just that this was a pretty huge deal to me, meeting Makoto’s family. It was like meeting the parents of your lover, which was actually kind of true considering the Tachibana's treated Haru more like family than his own parents ever did. And now here I was, about to spend the whole day with them.

But I was more excited than anything. Makoto talked about his family whenever he got the chance, and I knew he was looking forward to seeing his siblings again. Haru got this beautifully happy smile whenever they were brought up, so I just _had_ to meet the cause of that look no matter what. I wanted to know who made Haru feel so accepted, and possibly thank them for doing so.

We walked together through familiar streets, Haru having said that his and Makoto’s houses weren’t too far from mine. Makoto kept up a steady stream of happy conversation, to which I responded while Haru was content to just listen in. At some point, it became a race to see who could reach the house first. Which was completely unfair because I had no idea which way to go. Still, it was amusing to watch them try to run with their bags in tow.

Out of breath and cheeks flushed from the cool air, we finally came to a stop in front of steps that led up to a large house. We followed Makoto as he eagerly climbed the few steps and pushed open the wooden gate. The yard had a stone pathway that led up to the front door, surrounded by freshly cut green grass and a small section of bright flowers that were just starting to bloom.

Makoto pulled out his keys and grinned at us before sticking it in the lock and opening the door.

“We’re back!” Makoto called as we stepped inside.

There was a split second of silence before a voice shrieked out, “Onii-chan!”

There was a blur of dark olive-green hair as a girl about twelve or thirteen years old tackled Makoto, hugging him tightly around the middle. He hugged back, laughing and a huge smile on his face when he pulled away.

“Onii-chan, welcome back!” This time it was a boy who spoke, with short brown hair and deep brown eyes. He didn’t launch himself at Makoto, but he looked pleased when his hair was ruffled affectionately

“Haru-chan, it’s great to see you too!” The girl exclaimed, hugging Haru as well.

Haru’s lips curved up in an adorable little smile. “It’s good to see you too, Ran.”

The boy’s attention, though, was focused solely on me, and I felt a little awkward just standing there silently being judged.

“Are you Haru-chan’s boyfriend?” He asked outright. My eyebrows rose in shock; it wasn’t everyday I was asked that, especially by someone so young.

“Ren!” Makoto scolded, hands on his hips. “Introduce yourself properly!”

Ren ducked his head, mumbling out an apology while his sister laughed and shyly glanced up at me. “I’m Ren, it’s nice to meet you,” he said, trying to be patient.

“And I’m Ran!” The girl said, blushing a little. Ren snickered, earning himself a punch from his sister.

“Er, I’m Rin,” I said, awkward as hell. “And, uh, yeah, I am Haru’s boyfriend.”

Their faces lit up, Ran looking between Haru and me with her cheeks still pink. Ren instantly started to glare, pointing a finger at me.

“Are you treating him right?” He demanded. “Haru-chan’s the best, so you better not hurt him!”

I raised my hands in surrender, looking to Makoto for help. He just shook his head and mouthed a ‘sorry’, looking apologetic. Before I could say anything, Haru came to my rescue.

“He treats me perfectly, I promise,” Haru said softly, locking eyes with me and looking at me with so much love.

I felt my cheeks heat up, and I looked away and cleared my throat in embarrassment. Thankfully, Makoto came to my rescue and suggested we get out of the entryway. We followed him to the spacious living room, where the twins told us that their parents were out shopping and would be home soon enough. In the meantime, Haru and I went with Makoto up to his room. He said we could drop our bags off there, then take them later when we went to Haru’s place.

Makoto’s room was simple but organized. His bed was pressed up against the wall in one corner, the spotted green comforter covering it neatly. There was a desk with a few pictures and a lamp next to the bed, and a small TV sat on a stand across from it. Makoto set his bags down next to his bed, out of the way. Haru and I did the same, then the three of us all collapsed at once, Haru sitting on the ground and Makoto flopping on the bed. I laid on the floor with my arms spread out, staring up at the ceiling.

“Got any plans for today?” I asked, closing my eyes and fighting back a smile when Haru shuffled closer to run his fingers through my hair.

“Not really,” Makoto admitted. “Whatever pops up? Nagisa and Rei said they might come by later. Fair warning though, the twins will want to spend the day with  us, since they haven’t seen me since December.”

I shrugged, not really minding. “Doesn’t sound too bad. I like them, they’re protective of Haru.”

Haru tugged on my hair at that, and I bit back a moan. This was so not the time to get turned on, thank you very much. I shot him a glare, which he completely ignored.

Makoto laughed, rolling onto his stomach and kicking up his legs in the air. “Of course they are, they’ve known Haru their whole lives. He’s like an older brother to them; they love him.”

“It seems to me that Ran’s starting to like Rin more,” Haru cut in, smirking. “She may be developing a crush on you.”

My eyes widened, and I looked from Makoto to Haru, who both had shit eating grins on their faces.

“Oh fuck _no_ ,” I said. “I don’t know how to deal with girls. And she just met me! I haven’t done anything to get her to start crushing on me!”

“I think it’s the piercings,” Makoto said seriously.

“It’s always the fucking piercings,” I muttered. God, I did not need a preteen girl crushing on me. Not just because I’m gay and it’s weird as fuck, but because… it’s fucking weird as fuck. I really hoped it was just an admiration or something.

Before they could tease me some more, we were called downstairs, Makoto’s parents having come home. The three of us got up, Haru tugging on my hair one last time and making me growl. Makoto glanced at me in confusion, but I already had my lips on Haru’s, biting at his lip. Makoto squeaked and fled the room, but I didn’t take it further. Instead, I brushed my lips up against Haru’s ear, whispering hotly.

“You’re so gonna pay for that later, babe.”

When I pulled back, Haru was looking at me intensely, but I just winked and walked out of the room with him hot on my heels.

All thoughts of later were forgotten when I was halfway down the stairs. the nerves setting back in. I stopped in my tracks, listening to the voices from below chatting happily.

“Rin?” Haru questioned softly, stopping on the step beside me.

“... You think they’ll like me?” I asked, suddenly feeling unsure. Haru’s eyes softened, and he took my hand in his, brushing his thumb over my knuckles in the way he knew soothed me.

“I love you, so of course they will too.” He kissed me softly, as if sealing that promise. Then he gently tugged me down the stairs, fingers locked in mine. It suddenly hit me that I had nothing to worry about. Haru, who had been anxious to show any type of affection in front of my mother, was confidently holding my hand and was about to introduce me to the people who were like a second family to him. Haru, who worried what his own parents would think, was proudly exclaiming his love for me in his own way for everyone here to see.

Because he was comfortable here. Because he knew that no matter what, he wouldn’t be judged by these people, that he was loved. And suddenly, all my worries melted away, because what more could I ask for? They could hate me, but I already loved them for letting Haru be himself in this house.

As it turned out, my worries were for nothing. As soon as Haru and I stepped into the living room, Haru was enveloped in a hug by a woman with long, olive-green hair.

“Haru-chan!” She said happily. “It’s so good to see you! You didn’t visit last December, it just wasn’t the same without you. We’ve missed you so much!”

I watched as Haru simply melted in her arms, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. He hugged her back with one arm, his other hand still clasped in mine.

“I’m sorry, Tachibana-san,” he said softly. “I had other plans, but I’m glad to be back.”

And God, if my heart didn’t just melt at the content look on his face. I felt tears prickling at my eyes, but I held them back. I was _not_ going to cry in front of everyone.

“I know, Makoto told me. I’m just glad you’re here now, the twins have been asking for you for weeks.” Ren gave a thumbs up from his spot on the couch beside his sister.

Tachibana-san pulled away, giving her husband a chance to greet Haru. Her gaze then fell on me, her smile lighting up again. At least now I knew where Makoto got his cheerfulness from.

Before she could say anything, I bowed low, stuttering out an awkward introduction while Haru gently squeezed my hand. When I straightened, Haru lifted my hand and kissed the back of it, making my eyes widen and Ran squeal. Makoto’s parents looked pleased, while I felt like I needed to get out of the spotlight.

What followed was a spree of questions aimed at me while we all sat together and drank tea that Tachibana-san brewed. Ren and Ran asked how many piercings I had, what my favorite video game was, and if I went to school with Haru. Their parents asked about my work and the typical questions that came with dating their child (which was weird because Haru wasn’t even their son. Still, I guess it prepared me for the Nanase interrogation.) Overall, though, they seemed beyond happy and accepting. They were kind people, just like their oldest son, and I found myself relaxing soon enough.

After the questions and the tea were finished, the twins coerced us into going to the park with them. Tachibana-san gave us a basket filled with sandwiches and drinks so we could just have lunch at the park, and then we were out the door and heading over, the three of us following behind the twins. I had an arm around Haru’s shoulder, listening to Makoto tell a story about a cute little kitten he used to play with everyday before he went to school a few years ago. How someone could be so sweet and gentle, especially someone as big as him, I had no idea. But Makoto had quickly become a close friend to me, and so far the day was going great.

At the park, we played catch with a tennis ball we’d brought along. With the three of us being taller than the twins, it was hilarious to throw the ball over their heads and watch them try to get it before one of us caught it. Haru was smiling more than ever, biting on his lip to stifle a laugh when I purposely tripped Makoto. He whined from his spot on the ground, and I helped the gentle giant up before promptly getting shoved into the sandbox. I, being the mature guy I was, responded by shoving sand down his shirt.

That somehow started a sand war between me and Makoto, with Haru and the twins rooting for us safely from the sidelines. We probably looked ridiculous, two grown men throwing sand at each other like five-year-olds, but fuck if I wasn’t a kid at heart. The whole thing ended in a truce and sand in places I didn’t even know I could get sand.

We put down a blanket and sat on the grass to eat, Ran sitting on my right and Haru to my left. When Haru got a bit of ketchup on the corner of his mouth, I kissed it off, earning fake puking motions from Ren and a “You two are adorable,” from Makoto.

Fuck yeah we were adorable. Or, well, Haru was. I was badass. Seriously.

When we went back to the house, we bumped into Nagisa and Rei, who had been on their way to meet us. We all headed back together, and I learned that Ren sort of looked up to Rei, which was pretty damn interesting. Rei looked proud of himself, while Nagisa whispered mischievously in Ran’s ear. I didn’t trust that blond devil to not corrupt sweet Ran.

What ended up happening was a water gun fight.

Somehow, Nagisa convinced us all (with the help of the twins) to have a water gun fight in fucking March and got the Tachibana’s approval, too. The end result was a watery hell.

Makoto, Haru, Ren, and Ran were on one team, while I was paired up with Nagisa and Rei. We sprinted around the yard, barefoot and trying to find places to hide to avoid getting hit. Haru and Makoto were way better than they should have been. Haru was completely focused, aiming his gun at me when he found me, eyes void of any apology as he blasted me with water.

After he earned the title of Ruthless Boyfriend, Haru went on to blast poor, unsuspecting Rei. Rei fell dramatically, laying on the ground for a good minute before slowly pushing himself up. Nagisa avenged his boyfriend by being sneaky and blasting water right at the back of Haru’s head, soaking his hair.

I stealthily dodged any attacks from Ren and Ran, only to be hit by Nagisa.

“What the actual fuck, Nagisa!” I yelled, pulling my shirt away from my body. It was soaked through and clinging to my chest. “I’m on your fucking team!”

“Rin, language!” Makoto scolded, motioning to his siblings.

“Sorry, Rin-chan!” Nagisa said, not looking sorry at all. The blond bastard then went on to unleash his wrath on Makoto.

Turning, I froze when I saw Haru staring at me hungrily. His gaze was focused on my chest, where my white shirt clung to my abs. My nipples were hard from the cold, clearly visible through the material. Haru swallowed thickly before pulling his sweater up over his head. He handed it to me, whispering in my ear as he did so.

“Don’t be so inappropriate in from of children, Rin.” His voice was low and seductive, sending a shiver down my spine. Fuck, the day really needed to be over so we could go to his place and I could slam him against him the wall.

Or be slammed. Whichever one works.

Thoroughly soaked and out of breath, we all went in when it was time for dinner. We changed clothes, resolving to shower later, and then gathered at the table. There were a ton of different dishes, all looking amazing, and I said as much. There was rice and curry and vegetables, and my mouth was watering.

When we finally dug in, I almost moaned at how good it tasted. Tachibana-san was a really great cook. Over the meal, we made conversation and even Nagisa managed to be polite. With so many people, it was easy to keep the conversation flowing while at the same time enjoying every bite of our food.

After dinner, I insisted on helping clean up, so I found myself washing dishes with Rei. It was interesting, since he and I had never interacted away from the group before. Now though, we bonded over dishes as we talked about animals and books and a bunch of other things. I came to the conclusion that Rei was deep but dorky, had an obsession with butterflies, and was a total match for Nagisa; the only one who could keep him under control.

Eventually, though, it was time for us to go. Haru and I had our bags in hand, standing with  Nagisa and Rei outside. We bid farewell to the Tachibana’s, who demanded we come visit again soon.

“Thanks for coming over, guys,” Makoto said, hugging us each in turn. “It was really fun, and Mom loves having more people to cook for.”

“Thank you for having us,” Rei said sincerely, giving Ren a high five.

“It was great, man,” I said, hugging him tightly. “See you soon, yeah?”

Before I turned to leave, Ran stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “Thanks for coming over!” She said, before rushing inside.

I stood rooted to the spot with wide eyes while the others laughed. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my bag and stalked away, muttering under my breath as I went.

Rei and Nagisa went their separate ways, and I followed Haru as he led me to his house. It turned out to only be a flight of stairs away and across from Makoto’s house, which was really convenient. Haru unlocked the door, stepping in and taking off his shoes. I did the same, looking around and noticing stairs to my right.

“Come on, we can shower first,” he said, leading me upstairs. We went into a room that I assumed was his, a bed up against the wall under the window and a desk to one side. We dropped off our bags, and I rummaged around for a clean shirt and jeans. Once I had my clothes in hand, Haru led me to the bathroom, where we stripped and dropped our clothes in a basket.

The bathroom had a huge tub that I could just imagine spending hours in, and it seemed like Haru was on the same wavelength as me since he started filling up the tub with hot water. He added some bubbly soap in, motioning for me to get in first. I did, hissing a little when the hot water touched my skin, but I eventually relaxed and settled down. Haru turned off the water and got in with me, settling with his back to my chest.

“Really wish I had a tub at my place,” I said, closing my eyes and enjoying the feeling of the water all around me.

Haru didn’t respond for a while, and I didn’t expect him to. But after a moment of comfortable silence, he murmured something that would have been inaudible if the bathroom wasn’t deathly silent.

“Perhaps someday we could live here, or get a place of our own with a tub and a pool.”

My eyes snapped open, breath catching in my throat as I stared at the back of his head. His ears were pink and he refused to turn around, but that was okay. I snaked my arms around him, pulling him close to me and nuzzling the side of his neck.

“Yeah,” I breathed, “I’d like that.”

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about living with Haru. Not only would it be convenient and we could see each other whenever we wanted, but I also really liked waking up next to him in the morning, showering together and eating breakfast by his side. I wanted to come home to him in the evenings, fall asleep with him wrapped up in my arms, argue about who had to do the dishes.

It scared me, how much I loved him. Just eight months ago, I had never imagined I would want so much so quickly. But with every passing day, I wanted to be closer to him, to lay awake at night and whisper all my secrets to him. He gave me butterflies and made everything seem brighter, and all that cliche shit. I was so gone for him, it was crazy.

“I’d like that a lot,” I whispered as I kissed behind his ear.

From there, we lapsed into silence while I gently massaged soap onto his body. When my fingers flitted over his nipples, he let out a delicious moan that had me sucking on the side of his neck. Soon enough, getting ourselves clean escalated into me giving him a messy handjob under the water. When he came, he collapsed back onto my chest, cheeks flushed and looking utterly blissed out. I ignored my aching cock in favor of memorising his gorgeous features.

With the water soiled and becoming tepid, Haru pulled the plug and we stood to rinse off under the shower. There, he pressed me up against the tiled wall, holding me still as he got on his knees and swallowed my cock in one go. His firm grip on my hip kept me from thrusting forward, but I came embarrassingly quickly anyway. When he got back to his feet, I kissed the hell out of him, taking his breath away.

When I had regained my breath and we were sufficiently clean, we dried off with towels Haru produced form a cabinet in a the changing room, and slipped on our clean clothes. He put our dirty laundry in for washing, and then we made our way downstairs to relax in the living room.

The living room was very traditionally Japanese, including a low table with floor cushions around it, a small TV across from it. Haru sat down, reaching for the remote and flicking on the TV. I sat next to him, though he somehow ended up in my lap as we watched some sports anime that was way too dramatic.

He reached back to play with my hair, laying his head back against my shoulder. When a commercial came, he tilted his head and kissed under my jaw, his eyes warm and fond.

“I love you, Rin,” he whispered against my skin. My heart leapt at those simple words that I never got tired of hearing, and I grinned before pecking his lips.

“I love you too, Haru. A lot.”

His smile was breathtaking, and I couldn’t help but kiss it. It was a bit hard to kiss when we were both chuckling and grinning, but I was happy and content with him in my lap, so I didn’t mind. We finally got to kiss properly, a sweet, slow kiss that I put all of my feelings into. I could do this all day, I thought as I gently sucked on his lower lip.

The blissful silence was shattered when the sound of a bag hitting the floor and a gasp reached my ears, followed by something that made my heart stop.

“Haruka!”

Haru pulled away from my lips in an instant, eyes wide in shock where they were locked on mine. I stared back, and it seemed like time stopped for a moment before he slowly turned his head to the entrance of the living room., where a man and woman stood. The woman, who had spoken, looked murderous while the man’s expression was cold and closed off.

“Mother, Father,” Haru breathed, voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know you were coming home today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spare me.


	25. If I Lose Myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his parents unexpectedly coming home, Haru's relationship with Rin is out in the open. The moment Haru had been thinking about nonstop has come sooner than he expected.  
> He can only hope that they'll accept Rin just as Matsuoka-san accepted him.

_Haru_

“Mother, Father,” I breathed, voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know you were coming home today.”

I felt like I could barely breathe, rooted to the spot as I stared at my parents with Rin by my side. My heart was pounding painfully in my chest, but I somehow managed to keep my expression calm and collected.

“Haruka,” Mother said, not having moved from her spot. “What is this?”

I saw her eyes scan over Rin, taking in every piercing on his face. Father watched silently, letting Mother do the talking, but the way he looked between Rin and I with unhidden contempt made my stomach drop.

“This is exactly what is looks like,” I answered, catching them off guard. Every fiber of my being was telling me to lie, to make an excuse and spare myself a conversation I was not looking forward to. But I stomped those feelings down, swallowing past the nervous lump in my throat, and took Rin’s hand. “I’d like for you to meet Rin. He’s my partner, my boyfriend.”

Rin squeezed my hand, but I kept my focus on my parents. Silence filled the room, and some distant part of me held onto the hope that with my feelings for Rin out there now, I wouldn’t have to worry and he’d be accepted with open arms. Of course, that hope was shattered when Mother spoke a moment later.

She picked up the bag she had dropped, moving forward to set it on the table with the others. She didn’t spare Rin or I a single glance as she moved about the room, turning off the television. “Haruka, we have things to discuss. Tell this _boy_ to leave, and then take our bags upstairs.”

I felt a surge of anger shoot through me at the way she talked about Rin as if he wasn’t in the room. Judging by the way Rin stiffened beside me, he didn’t take too kindly to it either.

“But -” I began, only to be cut off by the deep voice of my father.

“Listen to your mother.”

That phrase was something I’d heard in the rare instances where I disobeyed my mother, and I felt a chill settle deep within in my bones. Father never spoke much, opting to let my mother be in charge, especially when it came to me. But when he did speak, it was with authority, and I never found the courage to disobey.

“Will it be easier for you if I go?” Rin asked under his breath, so only I could hear. I felt two pairs of eyes on me, waiting for me to do as they said.

“I’m sorry, Rin,” I apologized, feeling pathetic and weak. I wanted him to stay, I wanted his warmth and comfort to keep me away from confrontation. But if my parents refused to even look at him, then what good would it do?

“Shh, it’s okay,” Rin soothed, giving a small smile. “I hate leaving, but I’m not about to make this any harder for you.”

I stared into his eyes, and saw nothing but love there. Some of the anxiety in my stomach died down when I let myself focus on nothing but him, and I even managed a smile.

“I love you,” I said, loud enough for my parents to hear. I ignored the sound of the remote being set forcefully down on the table, opting to peck Rin’s lips instead. “I’ll text you soon,” I added in a whisper.”

Rin gave a minute nod, looking pleased about the kiss. Then he squeezed my hand one more time before turning on his heel. He kept his head held high as he walked across the room, affection bubbling in my chest. He wouldn’t challenge my parents here, but he wasn’t afraid to show that he wasn’t ashamed. I could only stare at his broad back as he disappeared from view, the sound of the front door opening and closing heard a second later.

It felt colder without him standing close to me, and I became thoroughly aware of the deathly silence in the room. Mother went into the kitchen, the sound of water running and a pot clanging around reaching my ears. Father sat down on one of the cushions, and I immediately snatched up their bags and fled the room. I knew I’d have to be down as soon as I’d dropped their bags off, but the few minutes of time I’d have alone would let me get my thoughts in order.

I slowly made my way up the stairs, my mind racing. From their initial reaction, I could only assume that seeing me with a man did not sit well with them. Anger was once again licking at my insides as I recalled the way they dismissed Rin without a second glance. The nerves were settling in again as I set the bags down in my parents’ room, taking a minute to breathe deeply. Making a quick decision, I pulled my phone out and shot off a text.

_**To: Makoto** _

_They’re home. Talk later._

Makoto would know what I meant, and he’d be able to give me advice on what to do. There were no secrets between us, and I felt like he should know what was going on. Not a minute had passed before I received a reply from him, 6 words that helped ease some of the tension in my body.

_I’m here for you, good luck._

Taking a deep breath, I trudged down the stairs, digging deep to find confidence. Mother and Father were sitting around the table, cups of tea set before them as they took sips periodically. No one spoke as I stood awkwardly, waiting for something, anything at all.

“Sit,” was Mother’s only command. I sat formally on a cushion, my head kept low and my eyes fixed on the wood of the table. I was frustrated with myself, angry that I was acting as if I was caught doing something wrong. That wasn't the case at all, and I willed myself to sit up straight.

"How long has this been going on?" Mother asked, her voice like ice.

"Almost seven months," I answered, relieved that my voice was steady.

There was a pause in which I held my breath. “I’ve called you every month and asked about your life, and you neglected to mention _this_ to me?”

I managed not to flinch at her tone, though my fingers clenched in the material of my jeans.

“I wanted to wait before telling you,” I said softly. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”

She finally looked at me then, her eyes narrowed and looking as if I’d just said the most ridiculous thing.

“React? Haruka, there is nothing to react to! This, whatever you think you have with this boy, is not happening. I expect you to stop fooling around and look for a proper lady.”

I could only stare, my mouth hanging open slightly. I couldn’t believe she just dismissed everything, my obvious relationship and even Rin as anything more than just some “boy”. I opened my mouth to protest, because I certainly wasn’t going to go along with that. I wasn’t given a chance to speak, however, because Mother stood up with her cup in hand and walked into the kitchen without a second glance.

“Enough,” she said, her command final. “We’ll discuss this in the morning. Your father and I are tired from the trip. Go upstairs, you’re dismissed.”

‘Dismissed’?! She spoke as if I was some client of hers, not her son. I was fuming, and I looked over to Father to find his attention directed to his phone. Of course he wouldn’t say anything in my defense; he always took Mother’s side.

Anger coursing through my veins, I stood and left the room, stomping up the stairs. For the first time in my life, I slammed my bedroom door, making sure that it was loud enough to be heard throughout the house. I locked the door and stood with my back against it, staring at the wall. This was going even worse than I had imagined it to; I had no idea how I was going to make them approve of my decision.

Heaving a sigh, I moved to lay on my bed, only to stop short when I noticed the bag laying by the foot of the bed, next to my own. It hit me that Rin had forgotten to take his overnight bag with him when he left, and the sight of laying there without him here made my heart ache.

I knelt by it, opening the zipper slowly. I hesitated for a split second, wondering if I was invading his privacy, before discarding the idea and rummaging through the bag. Rin had packed only the essentials: a toothbrush, his blow dryer, and a second spare set of clothes. I was certain I knew what was in the side zipper, but I didn’t open it. Instead, I pulled out his neatly folded shirt - which was black with a band logo on it - and set it down on my bed. I slipped out of my own clothes, leaving myself in only my boxers before shrugging on his shirt. It was slightly too big on me, but it was comfortable and the scent was unmistakably Rin’s. Perhaps it was pathetic, but I felt like a part of him was there now that I was surrounded by his scent.

Cuddled up in his shirt, I turned the light off and slipped into bed. I wasn’t remotely tired, the remnants of my anger still present, but I wanted the warmth of my bed as I pulled out my phone and opened my messages, thankful that my parents hadn’t thought of taking it from me. I texted Makoto, glancing at the time to see that it was nearing 10:00.

 _ **Me:**_ _They didn’t take it well._

I didn’t beat around the bush, getting straight to the point and hoping Makoto would have some advice. Knowing him, he’d most likely been waiting anxiously for my text, because a few seconds later, I received a reply.

 _ **Makoto:**_ _Are you okay?_

I had to smile at that; of course Makoto’s first order of business would be to ask if I was alright. The smile, however, began to slip as I gave the question some thought.

Was I really okay? Sure, physically I was completely fine. But I felt so… abandoned. It wasn’t as if my parents didn’t leave me alone for months at a time, as if they hadn’t been doing so for years. But the way they vehemently (at least in my mother’s case) rejected my relationship without even trying to understand it, was painful.

_**Me:** I’ve been better._

_**Makoto:**_ _You wanna tell me about it?_

There was no question to it; I was always going to tell him.

And so I composed a long message that I sent in parts, starting with how my parents caught Rin and I kissing, going on to explain their coldness and how they made Rin leave, and ending it with how I was _dismissed_ without a second glance.

 ** _Makoto:_** _Oh Haru, I’m so sorry. Maybe you can explain in the morning? Try to make them see reason, explain how strong your relationship with Rin is._

_**Me:** And if they refuse to see reason?_

With the way things were going, I could only hope that they would listen.

 _ **Makoto:**_ _Then we’ll work something out together. I won’t leave you alone, Haru. I’m gonna help you however I can, even if I have to spell it out to them that Rin’s made you happier than you’ve been in years. No one should take away the smile he puts on your face._

And just reading those words made me smile. Makoto was right, Rin’s made me so much happier, and I wasn’t about to let anyone tell me I couldn’t be with him.

I stilled when I heard the door to my parents’ room opening and closing, waiting to hear any more movement. When none came, I quickly typed out a response, my desire to talk to Rin growing with every second.

 _ **Me:**_ _Thank you, Makoto. I think they went to bed now, so I’m going to call Rin._

 _ **Makoto:**_ _Alright. Remember to give me constant updates, ok? I need to know how you’re doing. Say Hi to Rin for me :)_

Assuring him that I would, I closed the chat and opened up my contacts, finding Rin’s number quickly. I tapped his name, burrowing further under my blanket as I put the phone to my ear.

Rin answered on the second ring. “Haru?” He questioned, his voice full of concern.

“Rin,” I breathed back, closing my eyes and savoring the way my name sounded rolling off his tongue.

“Everything okay?” he asked. “What happened? What did they say?”

“Father didn’t say a word,” I said, giving a bitter laugh. “But Mother made it clear that I’m being ‘foolish’.”

Rin made an indignant noise, the sound of bed sheets rustling audible over the line.

“Foolish, my ass!” I didn’t even bother to scold him on his swearing because I agreed with him wholeheartedly. “Just because you’re dating a guy doesn’t mean you’re foolish.”

“I’ve never been so angry at them before,” I confessed. “Mother wants to find a girl, as if that would ever happen. I refuse to give up my relationship just because they don’t understand it. I’ve never rebelled against them before, but I think I’m going to have to start.”

Rin sighed, and we just listened to each other breathe for a few moments. “Haru, I’m really sorry things have turned so shitty.” I was about to cut him off, tell him there was no need to apologize because it wasn’t his fault, but he continued on. “I’m _not_ sorry that I love you. I’m not sorry that I met you or that we’re in a relationship. I’m not sorry for wanting to be with you for as long as possible. I _am_ sorry that your parents don't see things our way. I'm sorry I can't be there with you right now, I sure as hell want to be. I'm sorry it's become a huge mess."

“I’m not sorry for loving you either, Rin,” I responded, breathing in the scent of his shirt. “I’ll work this out somehow; I’m not very fond of being away from you when I have so many days off.”

He laughed softly, his voice low and filled with affection. “Yeah, I’m not liking it too much either. Are you in your room?”

“Yeah, they’ve gone to bed and I’ve locked myself inside. I take it you got home safely?”

“Yep. But I think I forgot my bag at your place. I only noticed when I was already on the train.”

I smiled, clutching the his shirt. “I know, I saw it when I came upstairs. I’m glad, though, since I get to wear your shirt to bed.”

“Yeah?” I could hear the smile in his voice, butterflies erupting in my stomach from how happy he seemed to be just because I was wearing his clothes. “Well I guess it’s a good thing I left it there.”

I hummed in response, the day’s events and emotions finally catching up to me. I stifled a yawn, my grip on my phone slowly loosening.

"Haru? Are you falling asleep?"

"Mhm," I answered, loving the sound of his voice. "Keep talking."

He chuckled, his voice becoming lower and more soothing. "Bossy. But if that's what you want. So, I was thinking, once this whole thing blows over, we should go..."

I listened to Rin softly ramble on, his voice lulling me to sleep. I didn't remember what he was saying, but I felt safe and warm with his scent wrapped around me and his voice filling my ears, and it didn't take long for me to fall into unconsciousness.

* * *

The next morning, I decided that I wasn’t going to change out of Rin’s shirt. Instead, I grabbed a pair of jeans and headed to the bathroom. It was early, earlier than I usually got up on a weekend. But the early hour allowed me to soak in the bathtub for over an hour, staring at the little dolphin toy floating in the water.

As I sat there, I thought of what I was going to do. I could go along with my parents wishes as always and make them happy, or I could stand up for myself and keep the person I loved most. It was an easy decision, but the thought of going against them was terrifying. I had always kept my head down and did everything they asked, hoping to get more attention and love. It was clear now that I was wasting my time; if they loved me half as much as they loved their jobs, then they would listen to me when I talked to them about Rin.

With that heavy thought weighing down my chest, I drained the tub and dried off, slipping on my clothes. I forewent a sweater, choosing to just wear Rin’s shirt all day, and then I braced myself as I went downstairs.

Mother was setting the table with a traditional Japanese breakfast. I felt a pang of longing for the item that wasn’t there. If Rin were here, he would have let me have mackerel for breakfast, only commenting with a laugh on my obsession. As it was, I didn’t have my favorite fish to comfort me, and I sat down silently as we began our meal.

The atmosphere was awkward and tense, or perhaps that was just me. I did my best to focus on the meal, but I couldn’t taste a thing as I waited for the other shoe to drop.

The shoe, as it turned out, came in the form of a folder being slapped onto the table once we were done. I observed it curiously before meeting my mother’s gaze.

“What’s this?” I asked cautiously. I wasn’t liking the triumphant look on her face.

She gestured for me to open the folder, which I did. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t a profile of some girl. As I scanned over the picture and the details (her age, family, and such), I felt the anger rising once again. I flipped the page, only to be faced a picture of a different girl.

“Whenever I call, you tell me that you’re too busy with your studies to find a girl. So, your father and I spend a few weeks selecting candidates. All of these girls come from respectable families. All you have to do is choose one and we can arrange a meeting.”

I couldn’t believe their nerve! I closed the folder, not wanting to look at the pictures any longer.

“You’re going to completely disregard the fact that I’m in a _relationship_ , and try to set up an omiai for me?”

Mother’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Haruka, you’re twenty years old. You can’t keep fooling around. You need to find a suitable girl and think about settling down!”

“Exactly, I’m twenty!” I countered, trying to keep from shouting. “I’m capable of making my own decisions. I know what I want, and I want Rin. Mother, gender has never mattered to me; It’s not as if I’m even completely gay. I’m pansexual, I could love a girl if I wanted. But I just so happened to fall in love with Rin, who’s a man, and nothing you say will be able to change that.”

I’d never seen her look so furious before. Her blue eyes held nothing but disgust and anger, and I tried not to think about the fact that they were directed at me.

“This isn’t natural,” she spat. “Men aren’t supposed to be with other men. Nothing comes out of a relationship like that. How can you expect to start a family if you can’t have children? It’s a _sin_ , Haruka.”

“ _Natural_?” I held in a bitter laugh, wanting to scream my head off for the first time in my life. “Are you saying my feelings for Rin aren’t natural? Mother, out of everything I’ve ever done in my life, being with Rin has felt the _most_ natural. It’s easy with him, it’s fun and he cares. He’s the complete opposite of me, and we fit. You can’t suggest that a dynamic like that is unnatural.”

“I’m not allowing you to bring shame to this family,” Mother said forcefully. “You’re going to choose a girl from that folder and then you will meet with her, understand? I’ll allow you a generous four days to look over it and come to a decision.”

I was on my feet in seconds, heart pounding and emotions running wild. She didn’t even listen! And Father just sat there silently, observing the conversation but looking more and more angry.

“I’ve already made my decision,” I said, turning around and heading to the door.

“Where are you going?” Mother demanded.

“To Makoto’s,” I said shortly, but stopped in my tracks when she laughed.

“You don’t think I don’t know that he’s been a bad influence? I always knew you two were too close. I let it slide since he was your only real friend, but it seems I had a lapse in judgement. He’s obviously a disgrace too, and I refuse to let you be dragged through the mud with him any longer.”

How could she judge someone she barely even knew? If anything, Makoto has influenced me in the best of ways; I wouldn’t be who I am now if he hadn’t been there to support me every step of the way. And yet, she put in him a box and gave him a label without even knowing him.

“You can attack me however you want,” I said savagely, my hands clenching into fists. “But you have no right to judge Makoto’s character when you don’t even know him. He’s my best friend, and he’s supported me more than you ever have!”

“Enough!” My father’s voice and the sound of his fist slamming against the tabletop made me flinch. He was on his feet now, looking murderous. “I’m not listening to this nonsense any longer. Haruka, take this folder and go upstairs; you’re not allowed to leave this house until you’re back at school. I’ll be looking into finding you another dorm room, but in the meantime you’re to say here and find a girl. Until you’re ready to fix this and come to your senses, society can do without you.”

Ever since I was a child, it was always Mother who took charge with the family. She made the decisions and decided what was best for me, while my father was always happy to let her be in control. He has never scolded me before, never gotten angry because I was always obedient.

So now, listening to my father yell at me for the first time in my life, I felt as if I had been dumped into a bucket of ice. I couldn’t speak, having no idea what to say. When I felt like I could move again without my knees buckling, I snatched up the folder and fled upstairs, feeling sick to my stomach.

I was shaken, but that didn’t mean I would let this be the end of it.

***

A day later, I was laying in bed texting Nagisa when I heard the doorbell ring. At first I was afraid it might be Rin, his impatience finally getting the better of him. But I had texted him only an hour ago, and he had said he was at work. He hadn’t given any indication that he would visit.

The next logical option was Makoto, which would not go over well considering yesterday’s conversation. Heart racing, I crept to my bedroom door, cracking it open and listening to the front door being open.

“How can I help you?” Mother asked, and I strained my ears to hear who it was.

“Good afternoon, Nanase-san,” someone greeted cheerfully. I recognized that voice, but it didn’t match up to my expectations, leaving me confused and curious. “Um, I’m here to see Haru, if that’s okay.”

“And who, exactly, are you?” Mother asked warily.

“My name’s Keiji, I’m a friend of Haru’s from school,” Keiji answered politely. “See, my girlfriend and I were supposed to start preparing for some of our new classes together, but she made some last minute plans with her family and went out of town. Haru has some those classes too, so I thought it would be cool if we could help each other out.”

“I see. Well, it sounds like a good idea. Come in, Haruka’s room is the first one on the left upstairs. You can find him there, and I’ll have some snacks up in a little bit.”

“Thanks so much, Nanase-san! Sorry for the intrusion.”

The door closed, and I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I quickly closed my own door, stepping away from it just as someone knocked. I opened it again, this time fully, and found Keiji standing on the other side.

He wore a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up half way, along with deep blue jeans and a backpack slung over his shoulder. His dark hair was tamer than usual, and his honey amber eyes locked on mine, a small smile playing on his lips. He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him as he wrapped me in a strong hug.

I was surprised, to say the least. Not only because I was being hugged so fiercely, but because Keiji and I weren’t very close friends, not like I was with Nagisa or Rei. It was a shock to find him of all people visiting me. But I took the comfort he provided gratefully, wrapping my arms around him after only a few seconds of hesitation. We stayed that way for a good few minutes, before we finally pulled back and he gave me a once-over.

“Hey man,” he said softly. “You okay?”

I beckoned him further into the room, sitting on my bed as he dropped his bag and  pulled out my desk chair and sitting on it backwards and resting his arms on the back rest.

“I’m alright,” I answered, crossing my legs and facing him. “Though, I am a little surprised to see you. Girlfriend, Keiji? Did you finally decide to dump Yamazaki?”

He laughed at my raised eyebrow, grinning. “Hey, I had to say something so your mom would let me in. I figured telling her I had a girlfriend and wasn’t gay as fuck improved my chances.”

“But you are gay. Very.”

Keiji shrugged, winking. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

I found myself smiling, feeling infinitely happier now that I had some company.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“Well, Rin told Sosuke what’s going on, and Sosuke told me. So, I figured you could use some company while you’re trapped up here all by yourself like a princess in her tower.”

I rolled my eyes at his analogy, not surprised to find out that he knew of my situation. Just like Makoto was my go-to person to talk to, Yamazaki was Rin’s.

“Thank you,” I said honestly. “I never thought I’d be put on house arrest at my age, and not being allowed to see my friends is difficult.”

“Yeah, I figured you must be growing crazy.” He seemed sympathetic, the smile slipping off his face. “I know we’re not super close or anything, but we _are_ friends, Haru. What’s going on with your family right now’s really messed up. You don’t deserve to be by yourself right now.”

My heart ached at his words, at how sincere he sounded. Keiji had always seemed like someone who made friends casually and easily, but didn’t spend too much time worrying about them. I couldn’t believe how mistaken I was, only now witnessing this other side of him.

I looked down at my lap, chest feeling warm. “Thank you,” I repeated, even softer this time. “It means a lot.”

There was another knock on my door, and I stiffened, senses on high alert.

“Haruka,” Mother said through the door, and it was the first time she spoke my name without any disdain in two days. “I’ve brought up snacks.”

Keiji snatched up his bag, quickly pulling out a book as I got to my feet and pulled open the door. Mother wore a polite smile, a plate of sliced apples and oranges held in her hands.

“If you need anything, just let me know,” she said, handing me the plate.

It took every ounce of my willpower not ot slam the door in her face.

I gave a curt nod, hating the fact that she cared more about her image, and closed the door quickly, listening to her walk away.

Keiji looked up from the book, frowning. “I get the feeling she’s only like that ‘cause I’m here.”

I set the plate down on my desk, catching sight of the folder laying where I had discarded it, unopened.

“They want to set up an omiai,” I blurted out, the weight of it becoming too much.

Keiji looked more disgusted than surprised, grabbing an apple slice. “Yeah, I heard. Rin was so pissed off, you should’ve seen it.”

My heart dropped at the image of Rin being angry, even with customers, because my parents were being unreasonable.

“It’s stupid, though,” Keiji continued, taking a bit of the apple as I took my spot on the bed again. “Even if you do meet up with one of those girls, it’s not like you’re gonna instantly like them. You may be pan, but I’m pretty sure one meeting isn’t going to change your feelings for Rin.”

“Of course not,” I said determinedly, the mere notion just ridiculous.

“Exactly, so they’re fighting a losing battle. I’m not gonna tell you that they'll come around, Haru, because I don’t know that. But I will say this: Rin’s so gone for you, man. He’s been going crazy these past couple of days, not being able to see you. And you? You deserve to be happy, the way _you_ want to be. Your parents might get used to the idea, or they might not. But what you have with Rin, I don’t think you should let that go for anyone.”

I stared at him for a long while, taking in his melancholy expression. “And are you speaking from experience?”

He chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Well, I never had to let anyone go, but I kind of know what you’re going through,” he admitted, and I looked up at him in disbelief. He hurriedly continued, sliding his fingers through his hair. "I mean, having family that's homophobic and all. My parents took some time to get used to it, but..."

He paused, a sad smile appearing on his lips. Keiji looked up at the sky through the window, fingers tightening on the chair. He took a deep breath before he continued, and I listened with rapt attention. “I have an older brother, Kiyoshi. He's a businessman, married, the perfect image of a successful Japanese man. When I was a kid, I always looked up to him, you know? He was smart, and even though he studied really hard all the time, he made sure to play with me every day. We were close, even with our age difference. My big bro was the best person in the world, in my opinion."

A small sigh escaped his lips, his eyes looking as if he was a million miles away. “When I started to get older, I realized that I didn't look at girls the way most boys did. Instead, I'd usually end up checking out the cute soccer and basketball players at my school instead. I really began to realize then that maybe I wasn't normal. I was terrified, 'cause lets face it, most Japanese people hate gays. And I was pretty sure I was gay by the way I wanted to make out with guys and pay no attention to the girls. It took me a full year to accept myself, and it felt good when I finally did. I even manned up and came out to my parents." Keiji chuckled, seeming to recall the memory. "You should've seen their faces. They were stunned, and Dad asked me again just what I said. So I told him again, said I was gay, always had been and probably always would be. They didn't hate me for it, but they were awkward around me for a while.

“Then I came out to my brother. I wanted to tell him aside from my parents, maybe get some advice or something. Obviously, it didn't really go like I thought it would.” There was no smile present anymore, Keiji's expression twisting into one of remorse. "He blew up, tried to come up with some logical explanation for why his little brother was into boys. Said I was just young and curious, that it was a phase and all that bullshit. When I told him I'd never even thought about kissing a girl before, that all I wanted was to kiss the captain of the basketball team, he had no choice but to believe me.

“Kiyoshi avoided talking to me whenever he could after that. He'd be civil in front of our parents, but cold whenever they weren't around. I tried asking him what was so wrong about me loving the same gender, but he just told me it was disgusting and I'd never amount to anything if I kept it up. He said... He said I wasn't the brother he'd known all his life."

I was silent, letting Keiji talk. It seemed painful for him to bring up these memories, but I knew from experience that sometimes just talking could help the most. I wanted to reach out to him, comfort him in some way. It must have been ten times worse being rejected by someone who’s always cared for you than to be rejected by those who never gave you the time of day.

“Kiyoshi was in university at the time, so we didn't see each other much. After I came out, he refused to call me or answer my calls. Mom and Dad found out what was going on and tried to convince to him to talk to me, but he refused. Soon enough, he graduated and went off on his own, becoming the great businessman he is today. The last time I spoke to him was on the Christmas before last, when he actually came to visit."  
Keiji closed his eyes for a moment, and I said nothing, letting him have the moment to himself. When he opened them again, he looked at me, a little awkward but fiercely determined.

“Look, I don't usually give out my life story like that to just anybody. What I'm trying to say is, I really hope that doesn't happen to you, Haru. I get it, I know what it feels like to have family who refuse to accept you just because of who you love. And I want you to know you're not alone. Obviously you have Rin and the others by your side, but you have me and Sosuke too. I know Sosuke can be a dick sometimes, but he actually likes you as a friend. And I know what you're going through, and I'm always here."  
He sent me a dazzling smile, amber eyes glinting in the sunlight. “In the past few months that I've known you, I can say that you're a pretty awesome guy, Haru. You've got another family too, you know. You've got us, and you couldn't get rid of us even if you wanted to. So don't give up. We've got your back, man. We always will.”

I knew I had amazing friends, I knew Makoto could make me feel better in an instant, that Rin could kiss all my worries away. But to hear Keiji open up about his own hardships, to know there was someone who struggled just as much with being accepted by someone in his family, it was calming. I had an ally. I had friends who loved me for who I was, who were like me and who would never judge me.

To use Keiji's words, I had a family.

It was hard putting my thoughts into speakable words sometimes. I always prefered writing to actually speaking. Now, I was left speechless again, unsure of how I could express my gratitude properly.

In the end, I settled on a soft “ _Thank you_ ,” hoping he could hear in my tone how much his words meant to me.

Keiji grinned, giving me a thumbs up. “Like I said, Haru, I’ve got your back.

Keiji stayed for another hour or so, in which we pretended to be going over classes but were actually whispering about how outrageous my parents were. At some point, the plate of fruit was abandoned and he joined me on my bed, sitting shoulder to shoulder with me. We talked about the cafe, of our respective boyfriends, and even the trouble Nagisa had been getting into. I laughed and smiled, thankful for Keiji and his kindness.

When Keiji got up to leave, shouldering his bag, I remembered something.

“Can you pass this on to Rin?” I asked, reaching for Rin’s bag.

“Yeah, sure,” he said easily, before taking a good look at my shirt. “Are you wearing Rin’s clothes?”

I blushed, shrugging while his face split into a smile. “He had two pairs of shirts, and I like to switch between them. They’re comfortable.”

“You sure you don’t want to keep anything else from it?”

On second thought, maybe I could steal something else of Rin’s. I rummaged through his bag, finding two pairs of sinfully tight jeans. Making a decision, I pulled out the jeans and laid them on my bed. A flash of color in the bottom of the bag caught my eye, and I reached in and pulled out Rin’s rainbow beanie.

A plan was forming in my mind, and I felt a jolt of excitement. I set the beanie next to the jeans before zipping up the bag once again and handing it to Keiji.

“Tell Rin I’ll return his clothes soon.”

Keiji wore a shit eating grin, undoing his own bag. “Before I forget. This is for you.” He pulled out a card, the words “Hang in There” written on the front along with a butterfly. My eyes widened when he pulled out the next item: it was one of Rin’s shark plushies.

“The card’s from all of us,” Keiji explained. “And Rin thought you’d get lonely, so he sent that over.”

I took the card in hand and hugged the shark close to my chest, unable to stop smiling. Then I pulled Keiji into a hug, which he enthusiastically reciprocated.

“Good luck, Haru,” he whispered. “We’re all here for you.”

I didn’t know if he saw the dangerous flash in my eyes, but his grin grew wider nonetheless.

“You all are horrible influences on me,” I said happily. “I might end up making my situation worse, but I have this sudden itch I need to scratch.”

“You gotta text me all the details, man. I need to know what’s going through your head.”

I grinned, high fiving him when prompted. “Of course.”

When Keiji had left, I sat down with the card in my hands, eyeing the detail on the front. The butterfly was purple and glittery, no doubt having been picked out by Rei. When I opened it, I found that there wasn’t an inch of space that didn’t hold writing.

‘Haru-chan!’ It read, in Nagisa’s unistable scrawl. “You’re parents really suck, but stay strong! Show ‘em that you won’t let them rule your life anymore! Kick their ass!”

I chuckled, shaking my head in amusement. Underneath  the note was Rei’s precise handwriting: ‘Haruka-senpai, I implore you to ignore Nagisa-kun and stay civil. Violence will get you nowhere! But please know that we’re all here for you!’

There were similar messages from everyone else, and I was surprised by how many people had actually contributed. All of my friends, including Gou, had added something encouraging. The entire staff of the Sharkbait Cafe had left messages for me as well, even Yamazaki. His simply said ‘Don’t give up’, but even that made my chest feel tight.

My favorite, though, was written in red ink in the corner of the page. Four words that meant more to me than anything, next to a small but detailed drawing of a shark: ‘I love you. Always.’

When I stood the card on my desk where I could see it from everywhere in the room, I strengthened my resolve. My earlier decision became more solid, and I couldn’t help the mischievous smile from spreading across my lips.

Perhaps it was time to show my parents that only I got to choose how I wanted to live my life.

Perhaps it was time to show them that I was free to be me.


	26. I'm a Nightmare Dressed Like a Daydream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his confidence building, Haru decides it's time to rebel for his rights, in a tamer way than Nagisa would have suggested. Who knew stressing out your unfair parents so much could be so amusing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my tumblr and ask me stuff! (sharkbait-rin)

_Haru_

Monday morning, I went downstairs with determination and a new mindset. Of course, my plan may not be the most ideal given the situation, but I felt I deserved to rebel for once in my life. I'd never been so frustrated with my parents before; I was going to show them I was in charge of my life and could live it the way I wanted to.

So, determined but attempting to look casual, I headed down the stairs and into the living room. Breakfast was on the table, and Mother and Father were just sitting down when I walked in. Mother glanced up for just a second, then returned her attention to the meal. I held back a smirk when she did a double take, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

“Haruka!” She exclaimed, causing my father to look up as well. “What one earth are you _wearing_?!”

I shrugged, taking a seat. I could only imagine what they were thinking; their son, who usually dressed modestly in sweaters and jeans, was wearing skin tight jeans that left nothing to the imagination. I was glad Rin was the same size as me, because his jeans hugged my thighs and backside far too well. I was wearing one of his shirts, too, though I wore one yesterday as well. On my head was Rin’s rainbow beanie, and I clutched the shark plushie close to my chest as I picked up my chopsticks.

“Take that thing off your head!” Mother commanded, sounding like she was witnessing a great horror.

“My ears are cold,” I lied smoothly, popping a piece of egg into my mouth.

They were lucky this was as far as I went with my appearance. I had debated on wearing my shortest pair of shorts; the hickeys on my thighs from the last time Rin and I had sex were still visible, taking time to fade away given how much he loved sucking on my skin. But I decided to spare them that sight. They were shocked enough with just the beanie.

I acted as if I was oblivious to their astonished looks, choosing to eat my breakfast instead.

“Those pants leave nothing to the imagination!” Exactly. “Is this - is this that _boy’s_ influence?!”

It took all of my willpower not to snap at her. I chewed my food, swallowing before fixing her with a bored look. “If I can’t express myself outside, then I’ll do it inside. I can dress whatever way I want to, Mom.”

Her eyebrows rose so much, they got lost in her hairline. I’m not sure why I found her reactions so amusing, but she looked taken aback from the way I addressed her.

“If I wanna show off my legs and ass, then I will,” I added nonchalantly.

“Haruka!” It was my father this time. It was getting extremely tiresome listening to them saying my name every five seconds.

“Yeah, Dad?”

“What on earth has gotten into you?!”

“Nothing much,” I answered, picking up a piece of bacon. “And I’m pretty sure you guys said not to talk while eating.”

Their fury was obvious in their red faces, but I didn’t feel fear. If anything, I was holding back from bursting into laughter. I never knew dressing differently and changing my speech slightly could have such an effect. I could understand now why teenagers went through a rebellious phase.

It was hilarious to watch your parents flounder around for what to say while you stood up for yourself.

“Where did you get that toy?” Mother asked, instead of addressing my jab at her parenting skills. “It’s ridiculous.”

“This _family’s_ ridiculous,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

I kept my focus on my food while Mother gasped.

It was going to be a good day.

I purposely stayed downstairs for as long as I could bear, just to frustrate them even more. I talked casually and without respect, no more “Mother” or “Father”. I put my feet up on the table while I watched TV, getting scolded for doing so. I shrugged it off, grabbing a notebook from my room and sitting down in the living room to write.

Every time I talked back, Mother would irritably say that the people I was spending time with were corrupting me. She said I had horrible influences, while I calmly told her that this was how I wanted to act. Time and time again, I said that I could make my own decisions, that this was one of them, and then she would purse her lips and walk away as if she hadn’t heard.

I stealthily texted everyone in our group chat what was happening. Nagisa couldn’t stop laughing and encouraging me, Makoto was proud that I was standing up for myself, and Rei begged me to just be careful. Rin said he was proud and that I could keep his beanie for however long I wanted.

Having my friends’ support helped me keep my confidence. I was so tired of always being told what to do and being expected to follow orders. For once in my life, I wanted to act the way I wanted in front of my parents. If they wouldn’t respect me and my choices, then they didn’t deserve my respect either.

Dinner was tense, for them at least. I couldn’t care less, though I knew my indifferent attitude was wearing on their nerves. I didn’t care, though, and went to bed after a phone call with Rin and a smile on my face.

Tuesday passed in much the same way. I searched every drawer I had for a tank top that was big enough for what I wanted. I eventually found one of Makoto’s old ones, orange in color and the neckline going well below my collarbones. I smirked when I looked in the mirror; there were two hickeys on my collar bones from Saturday, large and clearly visible to anyone who might glance my way. I wore another pair of skin tight jeans to traipse around in, and the beanie was actually quite comfortable.

The shark plushie had begun to hold a special place in my heart, and I always kept it within reach, even if I was alone in my room. It was like having a part of Rin with me wherever I went. It was also getting on Mother’s nerves, which was an added bonus.

They nearly had a heart attack when they saw me dressed in the tank top, hickeys in plain view. I was ordered to go change, an order that I blatantly ignored. When the doorbell rang, I rushed to answer it before my parents could. Hayato,the son of one our neighbors, had come to deliver some food as a sort of “welcome back” from his parents to mine. At 18, he was tall and handsome, but he froze when I opened the door. His gaze travelled over me and he swallowed, eyes lingering over my exposed neck and arms. There was a stutter in his voice when he handed the container over, which I took with a polite, if not somewhat flirty, ‘thank you’.

Needless to say, my parents regretted not being able to answer the door themselves.

Sometime in the afternoon, my phone began to vibrate in my pocket, and I escaped to my room to answer it. I flopped down onto my bed, letting out a breath and picking up the phone.

“Makoto,” I said, relieved to be talking to someone familiar.

“Hey, Haru,” Makoto said softly. “How are you holding up?”

“I never thought being rebellious could be so satisfying,” I admitted. “Everytime I refuse to do what they want, I feel a little bit stronger.”

“You’re doing a great job.” I could hear his smile through the phone, and it brought a smile to my face as well. “You’ve had to listen to them boss you around for long enough. I’m glad you’re standing up for yourself.”

“It is a bit terrifying, though,” I whispered. “In the end, they’re still my parents. I just wish they could accept me and not make this so difficult.”

“Maybe they’ll come around. Listen, Mom and Dad want to come around later to talk to your parents. If that’s okay with you, they might be able to convince them.”

Since I hadn’t visited the Tachibana’s again since Saturday, they’d started asking Makoto where I was. With my permission, Makoto told them what was going on with my family. They were outraged, to say the least, but their kind nature led to them worrying more about me than being angry at my parents. Now, I wondered if they could make a difference, and decided I’d never know if I didn’t give it a chance.

“Will you be coming with them?” I asked, because I needed to see my best friend again.

Makoto chuckled, his voice fond. “I haven’t been able to hug you in days, Haru. Of course I’m coming too. The twins can take care of themselves for an hour.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling infinitely better. “Then I really look forward to seeing you.”

...0o0o0...

Before Makoto and his family arrived, I switched the tank top out for one of Rin’s band tees. It was the Fall Out Boy shirt that Gou had given him for Christmas. I paced my room for the next two hours, occasionally flipping through my notebook and jotting down words, but otherwise I was restless. I jumped when the doorbell finally rang, my heart racing as I cracked open my bedroom door. My parents had no idea that the Tachibana’s were coming over, so I could only imagine their reactions when they opened the door.

“Good evening, Nanase-san,” I heard Makoto’s mother greet. She sounded cheerful, and the sound of her voice made me feel so much more content than my own mother’s.

“Good evening,” Mother answered stiffly. “I wasn’t expecting to have guests tonight.”

“Yes, well, I was hoping we could have a few words with you, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, of course not. Please come in.”

I scoffed; Mother minded, all right. She was just too worried about her image to turn them away. Besides, her tone spoke volumes about what she thought about having them in her house.

“Makoto,” his father spoke, “why don’t you go up and see Haru while we have a chat?”

“It’s nice to see you again,” Makoto said politely, presumably to my parents. “Welcome back!”

And then there were footsteps coming up the stairs, and a moment later, I was staring into familiar green eyes.

I was instantly pulled into a bone crushing hug, enveloped by strong arms and a face buried in my neck.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” Makoto said into the side of my neck.

I rubbed his back, laughing softly. “You went longer without seeing me during winter break.”

“But that was different! At least then I knew you were with Rin and happy!”

He pulled back to look at me with sad eyes, scanning over my face as if checking that I was sincerely okay.

“I’m fine, Makoto,” I assured. “Tired, but fine.”

He sighed, apparently deciding to trust my answer. Then he noticed my clothing and grinned, tugging the beanie a little lower over my head.

“If only Nagisa could see you! Sure, he’d want something a little more extreme, but you look good!”

Smirking, I turned and picked up the discarded tank top from my bed, holding it out to him.

“I actually wore this all day. You should have seen their faces, Makoto.”

His eyes widened before he burst out into laughter, eyes watering.

“Did the neckline of this cover anything?” He asked, wiping away the tears from his eyes. “Oh my God, Haru, your parents must be going crazy!”

“After having their son listen to their every word for 20 years, even something as small as this is making their blood boil. It’s fun, actually.”

Makoto stopped laughing, looking at me fondly. “It’s great to see you, Haru-chan,” he said.

I absolutely did _not_ pout as I turned my head away. “Drop the ‘chan’,” I mumbled. I took the tank top from him, deciding to keep it. I turned my back to him and I opened a drawer of my dresser, folding the item and putting it in. I was determined to wear it again tomorrow, and perhaps even wear the shorts Nagisa had gotten me on one occasion.

“Hey, Haru?”

“Hmm?” I closed the drawer, looking over my shoulder. There was a _click_ , followed by an amused giggle, and it took me a second to realize that he had taken a picture of me.

“It’s only for Rin!” He defended, noticing my accusing glare. “I knew he’d want to see this.”

“Show me,” I demanded, taking the phone from him when he held it out to me.

The picture was… attractive, if I said so myself. My back was to the camera, the outline of my shoulder blades just slightly visible through the black shirt. My legs and backside in the jeans were something Rin would definitely appreciate, but it was the expression on my face that astounded me most of all.

I was looking over my shoulder, but the light caught my eyes perfectly and made them shine. My expression was determined and passionate; I never knew I could look that way just from thinking about defending myself. I looked as if I was ready to take on an army without fear or worry.

“...Fine,” I concluded, giving the phone back to him. He typed out a text and attached the picture before sending it to Rin.

“I’ll be willing to bet that he’ll use it as his lock screen,” Makoto said.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not making a bet I’m going to lose.”

We sat and talked for a while, and I let Makoto tell me all about the past few days. He had been spending a lot of time with the twins, making up for the time he spent away at school. He’d made the trip to visit the Sharkbait Cafe early Sunday morning, and at one point everyone gathered there to add messages to the card Keiji had delivered.

Makoto told me that when Rin wasn’t working or on the phone with me, he was calling and texting him to rant. He even went as far as telling Makoto that I was beautiful, inside and out, and if my parents couldn’t see that then were really missing out. I blushed when he told me this, finding my boyfriend to be far too embarrassing. Still, I felt warmth in my heart knowing that he and Makoto were so close now, and I couldn’t fight off a smile.

“You think they’re getting through to them?” I asked after half an hour, at which point my restlessness began to grow again.

Makoto knew what I was talking about, and he stared at the door as if it held all the answers.

“Do you want to listen in?”

I was off my bed before he even finished asking, opening the door just slightly so I could put my ear to the crack. Makoto joined me, and together we strained to hear the voices coming from downstairs.

“All I’m suggesting,” Makoto’s mother was saying, “is that you listen to Haru-chan patiently. He’s still the same boy you’ve known for twenty years. Him being attracted to another boy doesn’t change who he is.”

“That sort of lifestyle isn’t something that’ll be tolerated in this house,” Mother said coldly. “It’s absurd to even consider letting them play silly games with other men, when they should be settling down with girls they can start a family with.”

By they, I could only assume she meant both Makoto and me. I closed my eyes, silently apologizing to Tachibana-san for enduring Mother’s insults to her son.

“It’s not a bad lifestyle,” Makoto’s father spoke up. “It doesn’t matter if their partner is a man or a woman. They’re happy, and as parents, we should be ecstatic that they’ve found someone to love wholeheartedly.”

“There is no such thing as ‘love’ between two men,” Father countered. “I know how this goes. They use each other to - to experiment and do shameful things. It’s purely sexual for them.”

The disgust in my father’s voice made me want to curl up into myself, but Makoto laid a gentle hand on my shoulder in support.

“It isn’t,” Tachibana-san insisted, her kindness giving way to irritation. “I’ve seen how Rin and Haru are around each other. I’ve never seen Haru so happy before, and it’s always Rin who makes him smile the brightest. I’ve only known that boy for a day and I could see how strong their bond is. Trying to take that away is like telling them not to be happy because of something they can’t change.”

“Haruka can change, and he will,” Mother said venomously. “The Nanase family will not be associated with this kind of behavior. It’s unnatural and filthy; I refuse to even acknowledge such illicit actions. He’s just like this because he hasn’t been with a woman yet. He can be fixed.”

_Fixed_

Like I was something that could be changed so easily. Like I wasn’t human, and just some object that was broken and being an inconvenience.

“You can’t fix what isn’t broken! There’s nothing wrong with him, he’s a grown man and he can choose what he wants for himself.”

“Tachibana-san, I don’t think it’s your place to tell me what my son can or cannot do. As his mother, that’s my job.”

“Maybe, but it’s obvious you’re denying him his basic human rights. He shouldn’t be forced into something he doesn’t want just for your sake.”

“He’ll thank me when he leaves that boy and settles down with a girl. He’s confused, he’ll see that we made the best possible decision for him. He’s not going to bring shame to this family by being such a disgrace.”

“Nanase-san,” Makoto’s mother said, voice low and absolute. “Maybe it’s time you care more for your _son_ than for your status.”

Silence settled over the house, and at some point I had taken Makoto’s hand for support as the conversation became more heated. Mentioning my parents’ love for their image over their love for me was never a good idea, but it was the truth.

“I would appreciate you not coming into my home and telling me how to live.” Mother’s tone was icy, leaving no room for argument. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you to leave, and take your son with you. Haruka will no longer be associating with your family, given how your influences have corrupted him. He’ll be switching dorm rooms before the new term starts, and I would advise you to keep your children away from him from now on.”

A chill settled deep within my bones when I heard those words. It wasn’t as if I would allow them to keep me away from my childhood friend, but just knowing that they intended to make me cut all contact with Makoto made my heart ache in the worst of ways.

“Fine,” Tachibana-san said snappishly. “But I hope you know you’re making a mistake.”

No one spoke after that, and I found myself in Makoto’s warm embrace. It was like I was numb, their words ringing in my ears. I was a disgrace to them. I brought shame to the family, and why? Just because I fell in love with someone of the same sex. Did it really matter so much? Did it really affect my parents so much that a man had made my heart beat faster instead of a woman?

As these questions floated around in my mind, Tachibana-san came to my room to get Makoto. Makoto had a hard time letting me go, and his eyes were suspiciously wet. He finally loosened his grip on me, only to be replaced by his mother.

“We’ll figure something out,” she said in my ear as she hugged me. “You’re still our son; we’ll find a way to make them see that it doesn’t matter.”

Their son. Not my parents’, but theirs. I had never wanted that to be so true before in my life.

“I’m not letting you go,” Makoto said fiercely. “I love you, Haru. We all do. I’m not letting them take my best friend away from me. We’ll find a way.”

I could only nod, feeling warm and cold at the same time. Before they could leave, though, I grabbed onto both of their hands and looked them right in the eye.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice cracking.

Makoto was holding back tears, and Tachibana-san looked furious and heartbroken at the same time.

When they left, I felt as if my real family was leaving. As soon as they were gone, I turned off the light and opened the curtains, letting the moonlight stream through the window. In the dark, I changed my clothes and laid in bed, clutching the shark close to my chest.

Their conversation was still running through my mind, repeating every single horrible word that my parents said. They spoke as if my sexuality was something shameful, like it was something that needed to be fixed and changed. As if _I_ needed to be fixed. And what for? So that I could have children and take over their business?

I wondered, briefly, if they had more of a problem with me than with my choices. Did they just hate me and want me to suffer? It’s not like they had been present for most of my life. They hadn’t been there to hear my first words, off in Tokyo building up their business. They hadn’t been there when I had almost drowned in elementary school, just calling to see if I was alive. They had left my grandmother to take care of me, only returning on holidays so they could look like good parents, when in truth they only taught me how to be the perfect son.

So was it really me who they thought was a disgrace, and not my sexuality? Were they finally using this as an excuse to tell me how they didn’t want me, that unless I did everything they said , I was nothing to them?

That they really didn’t care about me?

I knew I couldn’t let myself think that way, because most Japanese people had a problems with same sex couples. But as the minutes wore on, my mind continued to spiral into a dark place, and I couldn’t help but question my worth.

And I couldn’t help but wish that my grandmother, the one person who had been there for me since I was a newborn, was still alive.

Never in my life had I wanted someone to hold me so much. I wanted Grandmother here, to tell me it would be okay and that she loved me no matter what. I wanted her to tell me that what they thought didn’t matter, that I was fine just the way I was.

But more than anything, I wanted Rin to hold me close to his chest and whisper his love in my ear.

I wanted to feel his warmth, listen to his low voice singing some American song in my ear while peppering kisses to my face. I wanted to play with his beautiful hair and hear him laugh and tell me that I was doing great by irritating my parents the way I have been, that he was proud of me.

I wanted to fall asleep in his arms and wake up to the sunlight glinting off his piercings.

But I was alone in the darkness of my room, nothing to accompany me but the silence and the shark that I buried my face in. Every dark place my thoughts went to were tortuous, and yet I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about them. Every thought of Rin filled my heart with so much longing that it was painful, and all I could do was hope for sleep to come and make me stop replying my parents’ words.

I skipped dinner for the first time in my life that night, unwilling and unable to get up and face my parents. Instead, I sent out a group text telling everyone that I was going to bed early, setting my phone on silent and then plugging in my earbuds. I found the song I was looking for, something that Rin had showed me, the title bringing back memories.

And with the song on replay, I drifted off to sleep, wondering why it was so wrong to love.

_I'm sorry if I say, "I need you."_

_But I don't care,_

_I'm not scared of love._

_'Cause when I'm not with you I'm weaker._

_Is that so wrong?_

_Is it so wrong_

_That you make me strong?_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics are from "Strong" by One Direction, one of my absolute favorites.


	27. The Person That You Take a Bullet For is Behind the Trigger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger, the person that you take a bullet for is behind the trigger...
> 
> For Haru, the darkness threatens to consume his mind. But there are stars that shine through.  
> All he has to do is reach out and hold on tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a really long time to write, and for the last half, I put "Kids in the Dark" by All Time Low on repeat to help. I recommend that song to everyone, especially in regards to Haru.  
> 

_Haru_

I woke up Wednesday morning to find my phone battery dead, which wasn’t surprising since I had been listening to music all night long. After plugging my phone in for charging, I took a long bath and then changed into Rin’s clothes again, moving on autopilot. I wasn’t sure how to feel anymore. My emotions were a vortex of grief that and misery, blacking out the little light that attempted to shine through. But while the pain and sadness of the night before was still heavy in my heart, that pain turned to anger with every passing second..

They were so _ignorant._ They couldn’t even begin to understand my feelings, still stuck in their conservative ways. How could they think my relationship with Rin was purely sexual when I had clearly stated that I loved him? It was completely unfair that they would just assume, brushing off any explanation I tried to give them.

The frustration of not being heard was building.

When I turned my phone on again, I saw two messages from Rin, one from last night saying goodnight, and another from this morning saying that he hopes I’m okay and that he loves me. A small smile on my face, I went downstairs for breakfast.

The smile slipped away as soon as I saw my parents. They didn’t look happy at all, expressions cold and bitter. No one spoke a word, and Mother refused to even look at me. When breakfast was done, she left the house to run some errands, leaving Father behind to keep an eye on me, most likely.

I didn’t speak, either, choosing to just lounge around and write while covertly texting Rin. Father showed his displeasure by muttering under his breath, my fist clenching when I caught words like ‘filth’ and ‘disgusting’.

The silence dragged on all day, the tension thick in the house. I stayed downstairs for as long as I could stand, just to make sure my parents were as grumpy as I was.

Stressing them by just being present was great, until dinner time came around.

The meal was as good as always, though I had never gone so many days without mackerel. Mother knew it was my favorite, so I concluded that she didn’t make it just to affect me. I would have made it myself, but I wasn’t able to go out to get the ingredients.

So dinner went by as usual, with me longing for mackerel and my parents ignoring me, having given up on scolding me for my clothes. When dinner was over and I was getting up to go to my room, Mother stopped me with a call of my name.

“Stay seated,” she ordered, and I obeyed, just to see what she wanted. They both sat around the table with me, and Mother looked at the space above my shoulder when she addressed me. “What decision have you made?”

I furrowed my brows, wondering what she was talking about. I was sure that I had voiced my decisions loudly over the past few days, so there really was no point in asking. The longer I stayed in silent confusion, the more irritated she seemed until -

“Oh,” I said, the realization of what she meant dawning on me.

It was Wednesday. My four days were up.

“You’ve had four days to look over the folder. Tell us which girl you want and we can set up a meeting for tomorrow.”

I scowled, crossing my arms over my chest with the shark plushie trapped in between. “I choose the one with the red hair and the big cock,” I said stubbornly.

Mother stared at me with wide eyes, and Father’s glare was murderous.

“Shut your filthy mouth,” Mother seethed, voice low and dangerous. “You will not say such things in this house. Now, which _girl_ do you choose? Or shall I just pick one for you?

“Oh, you meant to pick a girl?” I said, making it obvious that I knew that already. “Then, none of them. I have a boyfriend.”

“Enough of this!” Mother shrieked, standing. “If you insist on being difficult, then I have no choice but to choose a woman for you. You’ve been wallowing in the filth of other men for too long. It’s time I change that.”

Change. There was that word again. But instead of feeling the crushing weight of the knowledge that my parents wanted me change, all I felt was a surge of anger.

My parents, who were less in my life than my best friend, thought they needed to change me. For my own good, apparently. But mostly for them, so they could tell their colleagues that their son had a nice wife.

What was so wrong with telling them he had a nice husband instead?

“Let’s get one thing straight, _Mom_ ,” I said, getting to my feet. “I’m not. I’m pansexual, and in a relationship with a man. And yeah, you might be my parents, but you don’t get to decide how I live my life. I’ll be with whoever I want, whenever I want. And if you have a problem with that, you can kindly fuck off.”

It felt far too good telling them to fuck off, but I was beyond caring. If these people didn’t support such a big aspect of my life, then they didn’t deserve to be called parents at all.

“You better hope I didn’t hear that right, Haruka,” Father said, slowly rising to his feet.

“Oh, you heard right. Nothing you can say or do will change the fact that I’m dating a man, and most likely will be for a very long time.”

Before I could even blink, Father’s hand shot out and grabbed me by the hair, making me grunt.

“This has gone far enough!” He bellowed, fingers twisting in my hair. “I did not raise a faggot!”

The force of his grip on my hair was excruciatingly painful, but I did my best not to shout in pain. Fear was clawing at my throat; if he wanted to, he could do so much worse. I took hold of his wrist and wrenched his hand away, staggering backwards.

“Raised?!” I said, heart pounding and emotions running wild. I wasn’t even offended by the slur, I was more concerned with making sure they knew that they had never raised me. “Have you forgotten how you’ve practically abandoned me since I could talk? You were barely ever around to understand me, let alone raise me.”

“Don’t you dare!” Mother screeched. “We worked hard to give you a good home, we sent money every single month!”

“Yes, because sending money is so much better than spending time with your child. You never did a single loving thing for me! It was always Grandmother. She raised me, she put in the time and effort, not you!” My voice had been steadily rising, my eyes flickering over to Father’s twitching hand. I had a feeling he wanted to do so much more than just grab my hair.

“You were never there,” I continued, regaining my composure. “But I still did my best to be the perfect son. And now, when I should have your support for who I’ve chosen to love, you tell me to change and force me to choose women I’ve never met. Grandmother would never allow that. She’d support me.”

The words had barely left my mouth before I felt a sharp sting on my cheek, my head being forced to the side. The sound of a slap echoed in my ears, but it took me a moment to understand what had just happened.

There was a burning sensation in my left cheek, and I felt a trickle of blood slide down from where her nails scratched open my skin.

My Mother had just slapped me, nails and all.

“Don’t you dare bring her into this,” Mother hissed.

I stood in shock, unable to believe what just happened. The dark vortex of my emotions was now tinged with disbelief and sorrow. They mixed into one horrible cloud of feelings that was threatening to overtake me. When I slowly turned my head back to them, it was to see no remorse on their faces, only outrage and disgust.

I didn’t realize I was backing away from them until my back hit the wall next to the entrance. I jolted out of my trance, eyes widening and mind racing.

I had to get out of there.

I couldn’t stay anymore, not when they refused to listen and were actually becoming violent. I needed someone familiar, someone who didn’t spit my name out like it was trash.

Before I could overthink it, I turned and dashed out the room. I quickly put on my shoes, not bothering with tying them, before I yanked the door open and ran out into the cool night air.

I tried not to think about the fact that they didn’t try to stop me.

I was vaguely aware of the shark plushie still clutched in my hand and the rainbow beanie on my head, my legs carrying me down the steps to Makoto’s house in haste. I only came to a stop when I was in front of the Tachibana’s gate, gasping in air and forcing myself to calm down.

I was aware, once again, of the dark cloud of emotions within me. The darkness was pitch black, a swirl of anger and pain that blocked out any light. It was stormy inside my head, lightning crackling every time their words whispered in my mind. It was a black hole, sucking in everything I was and everything I held close, the crippling darkness attempting to bring me to my knees.

There was light, I knew, constellations and endless stars just beyond my reach. So close, I could almost touch them, yet they were overshadowed by the hate the two people who should have been most important in my life felt for me.

I blinked, slowly, trying to get my bearings and thoughts straight. The cool air on my cheek stung, the physical pain helping to clear my head a bit. The past few moments had shaken me to the core, stripped down the safety I felt with them, and shocked me like a jolt of electricity.

I was in front of Makoto’s home, where the lights were off, and I recalled Makoto telling me that they would all be going to see a movie tonight. I could sit outside, of course, and wait for them to come back, but if I looked across the way, I would see my house.

Where the two monsters who called themselves parents were.

There was longing in my heart once again, craving to see red and a sharp-toothed smile. But Rin’s apartment was a train ride away, and I didn’t want to be alone for so long.

It hit me, then, of the one place I could go and feel loved, an emotion I was currently starved for.

I took off running, not caring that I probably looked ridiculous carrying a stuffed shark. It was the only thing I had that felt like home. Like my real home, the home that consisted of strong arms and a low voice.

My feet carried me through well-traveled streets, past houses and people who stared at me with wonder. I didn’t care for any of them, my sights fixed on one goal and one goal only. I didn’t know how long I ran for or how I even managed to find my way with my thoughts in shambles, but eventually I was standing in front of a door. My breath left my lungs in huffs as I raised a hand and hesitated over the doorbell.

Relief was on the other side, as well as warmth and comfort.

Without a second thought, I rang the doorbell and waited, doing my best not to pace around with anxiety. A moment later, the sound of a lock turning caught my ears, and I froze, staring ahead as the door was opened and a head of red hair poked out.

“Haru?” Matsuoka-san’s voice was like a thousand angels sent down to rescue me, and I drew in a shaky breath. “What’re you doing here? Is Rin with you?”

I didn’t respond, my mouth refusing to form words. Concerned, she scanned over my face for answers, eyes locking on my left cheek. In an instant, her expression turned from worried to furious, and she gently took my face in her hands.

“What happened?” She asked, eyes glinting with rage. “Who did this, Haru?” When I still didn’t respond, her eyes widened. “Did Rin-?”

I frantically shook my head, realizing that she thought Rin had hurt me. That idea was so far from the truth, it was laughable, though I wasn’t very capable of laughter right then.

“Then who?” She asked, her voice taking on a pleading edge. I only shook my head, pulling her into a tight hug and burying my face into the side of her neck. “Oh, sweetheart,” she cooed, wrapping her arms around me and rubbing a hand up and down my back. I let her hold me, her body heat chasing away the chill that had settled into my bones. “Let’s go inside, okay?”

I nodded, reluctantly pulling away from her. She led me inside, closing the door behind her while I toed off my shoes. She had a gentle grip on my arm as she steered me into the living room, where I collapsed onto the sofa.

“Let’s get your face cleaned up,” she said, moving to leave the room. I caught hold of her hand, shaking  my head. I might have seemed pathetic, but I didn’t care. The cut could wait; I needed Rin. “Do you want me to call Rin?” She asked after a moment of debate, most likely catching on to what I needed.

I nodded, whispering, “Please.”

She sighed, patting my messy hair and kissing the top of my head.

“Alright. I’ll call Rin, but then we’re gonna put a bandage on that, deal?”

My lips twitched in a half smile, and I hugged the shark close to my body.

“Deal.”

As she headed to the kitchen to make the call, I melted back into the cushions and closed my eyes.

The constellations were glittering through the storm of emotions. They’d be within reach soon enough.

* * *

_Rin_

To say I was upset with Haru’s situation would be a understatement: I was fucking pissed.

When his parents had told him to make me leave that night, acting as if I wasn’t even _there_ , made me want to spit out a few choice words that would probably give most adults a heart attack. But I didn’t, because I knew that wouldn’t make Haru’s situation better, and I left with rage but confidence.

And some worry, too.

I already knew Haru wasn’t sure how his parents would react to him dating a guy, but their actual reactions that the texted me made me want to punch something. Who even does that? Who tries to force their kid into meeting a girl when he obviously doesn’t want to? Not good parents, that’s for sure. I wished I could give them a piece of my mind.

Every day at work, I would constantly be checking my phone for a text form Haru. I couldn’t see him, which was making me itch inside because dammit I _needed_ him. I needed his overly proper way of saying things, I needed him to scold me for swearing and then forgive me when I kissed him as an apology.

But I was stuck on the sidelines just hoping he was holding up okay.

When I heard that Keiji would be going over to check up on him, I frantically searched around for something I could send. It wasn’t until my eyes landed on my collection of stuffed shark toys that the idea hit me. What better thing for him to remember me by than a shark plushie? I was pretty damn ecstatic when he texted me later, saying he would be wearing my clothes and carrying the plushie around everywhere to piss off his parents.

And don’t even get me started on the picture.

It was a pleasant surprise to open Makoto’s text during my shift at work, only to have my eyes widen when the first thing I caught sight of was Haru’s plump ass looking delicious in my jeans. I may have moaned at the sight, which made Sosuke look at me in disgust, but holy shit it was a hot picture. When I could finally tear my eyes away from Haru’s ass, I noticed his lean figure in my t-shirt, and then the determined look on his face.

It was that look that took my breath away.

He looked so confident, like he wouldn’t stop at anything to fight for his rights. I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with him even more, but that expression was starting to test that possibility.

Now, it was Wednesday night, and I was reading manga while wondering if I should text Haru yet. I hadn’t heard from him again after seven, and I was starting to get a bad feeling. But before I could decide, my ringtone filled the silence and made me jump, and I tossed the manga aside as I scrambled for my phone.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, once I’d managed to grab my phone without breaking anything.

“Rin,” she said, and suspicion creeped on me. She sounded…. off. “What’re you up to?”

“Nothing much,” I answered slowly, trying to place her tone. “What’s up? Something wrong?”

She sighed, then, the volume of her voice lowering so I had to strain to hear. “Haru’s here.”

Alarm bells went off in my head. Something seriously wasn’t right if Haru had went to Mom’s place, especially since he didn’t call me or Makoto.

“Is he okay?” I asked frantically, heart beating rapidly in my chest.

“Not exactly,” she said, and I wanted to yell at her to just fucking tell me what was wrong already because I couldn’t take it. When she spoke again, she was seething with rage. “His cheeks red, and there are scratch marks and one of them is bleeding. I think his mother slapped him. With her _nails_.”

My breath caught in my throat, and all I could see was red. They hurt him. The people who’re supposed to  protect him _hurt_ him. There was going to be hell to pay, one way or another.

“He showed up on my doorstep shivering and out of breath,” Mom explained. “He ran all the way here. And when I asked what happened, he just shook his head. He wouldn’t even let me dress his wound until I’d called you.”

While she spoke, I dashed into my room and grabbed my duffle bag out of my closet, unzipping it and pulling out clothes from my closet.

“Fuck, I can’t believe this,” I cursed, torn between feeling angry and heartbroken that my Haru was in pain. “Tell him I’m coming over, okay? I’ll catch the first train I can, I’ll be there soon. Fuck, how could they do something like that?”

“I don’t know, but my gut’s telling me to go over there and knock some sense into them,” Mom said vehemently. She was so protective of him, it made things just a little bit better. “Listen, Rin, I think you should call Seijuurou and ask for a few days off. Haru seems to be in bad shape, emotionally. You two should stay here for a while. Gou’s sleeping over at a friend’s tonight, so you can talk to him alone.”

“Yeah, of course,” I said as I dug around for clean underwear. It was a good idea, and I knew Sei would understand. “Can I talk to Haru first? Just to let him know I’m on my way.”

“Yes, hold on a second. God, I’ve never wanted to be so violent before.”

I smiled a little at that while I listened to Mom speak gently on the other side, and then there was soft breathing in my ear that could only be Haru’s.

“Hey, baby,” I said, heart aching already.

“Rin…” He didn’t sound like himself, and I caught the numbness in his voice. And he sounded like he was _hur_ t, and not just physically. I never wanted him to hurt.

“Haru, sweetheart, listen to me, okay? I’m on my way, I’ll be there soon.” He didn’t respond, but I heard him take in a shaky breath. “I love you so much, babe. I can’t wait to kiss you again. Let Mom take care of you till I get there, yeah? Then we can cuddle under the stars again if you want to.”

“I love you too.” Those heartwarming words were spoken automatically, like he couldn’t imagine not saying them back, even when he could barely pull together anything else.

“I know, Haru. I’ll see you soon.” I bid him farewell and hung up, zipping up my duffel bag and rushing to the door. Once I had my jacket and shoes on, I dialed Sei’s number while I locked the door behind me.

“What’s up, Bitchbaby?” Sei greeted on the second ring.

“Sei, listen, this is important,” I urged, flying down the steps and setting off for the train station.

“What’s wrong?” Sei asked, grasping on to how serious I sounded. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just need a few days off from work. Something-something happened with Haru, and he’s at my Mom’s place.”

“Fuck,” he said. “Is he okay?”

“I think so, but I’m not sure yet. Look, I’ll make up the hours, I promise, I just need-”

“Rin, it’s fine,” Sei cut me off, stopping me before I could ramble. “I understand, don’t worry. I’d wanna do the same if it was Makoto. Take all the time you need, just make sure he’s okay, you got that?”

I breathed a sigh of relief, never having been so grateful to him in my life. “Thanks. Can you let Makoto know where Haru is? I don’t think Haru told him when he left.”

“I’m on it. Take care, man.”

I hung up and broke into a sprint. At least the exercise was helping to burn off some of the anger.

...o0o...

Forty long minutes later, I was walking into the door of my old house, slipping off my shoes as the door closed behind me. I made my way to the living room, where I could hear Mom’s soothing voice talking in hushed tones. She looked up when I entered, and a part of me wanted to take a picture of the sight before me.

Mom was sitting back on the couch, Haru pressed to her side with his head on her shoulder with his eyes closed. She gently ran her fingers through his hair, and just for that moment, he looked content.

Haru opened his eyes when Mom stopped talking, catching sight of me and sitting up quickly. I dropped my duffle bag right in the middle of the room, rushing forward and pulling him into a tight hug. He buried his face into the crook of my neck, a habit I’d discovered whenever he wanted to feel comforted.

I didn’t say a word, choosing to hold him close and press kisses to his neck instead. his cheek had a bandage over it, for which I was glad because I didn’t know if I could keep myself from crying for him. I didn’t even know the full story yet.

Eventually, I coaxed him into sitting on the couch with me, where he ended up in my lap with my fingers stroking his hair.

“Haru, what happened?” I asked gently, barely stopping myself from demanding an answer so I could do something about the people who hurt him.

He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Mom and I gave him our full attention, waiting for an explanation.

“The were angrier after last night,” he started, voice barely above a whisper.

Of course, I knew what had happened the day before. The talk with Makoto’s parents hadn’t gone over so well, and Haru had gone to bed early without talking to any of us. Mom looked confused, but she didn’t interrupt, not now when he was finally talking.

“I still wore your clothes today,” he continued, and I noticed that he really was wearing my shirt and jeans, the beanie lying on the arm of the couch. The shark plushie was clutched tight in his hands. “I decided that no matter what, I wasn’t going to let them take away my closest friends.”

He sighed like he was tired, exhausted after whatever events took place. I kissed his forehead to offer some comfort.

“Tonight at dinner, they wanted to know which girl I’d chosen from the folder. I told them that I didn’t choose any of them, that I already had you. There was… yelling involved. And then he - he grabbed my hair and said that he didn’t raise a faggot.”

I sucked in a breath, my hold on him tightening as if to protect him from something. But protect him from what? They’d already hurt him because I left that night, he was already in so much pain.

Haru  laughed bitterly, the sound foreign coming from his lips. “Isn’t that hilarious? They never raised me. They were never there when I needed them. They had the nerve of even thinking something like that. So I told them, and I said… that it was always Grandmother who took care of me. She never abandoned me like they did. And I said that if she was still here, she’d support my choices.”

His voice broke off at the end, but I refused to look at his face, afraid to see tears.

“That’s when she slapped me,” he finished. “And I just - I couldn’t stay there anymore. So I ran. But Makoto and his family were at a movie, and you were so far away, and I didn’t know where to go. So I came here.”

“I’m glad you did,” I said, carding my fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I can’t believe they’d do something like that.”

My attention was drawn away from him when I noticed Mom getting up, face set with purpose as she swiftly made her way out of the room.

“Where’re you going?” I asked, the question making Haru look up, too.

"To talk some sense into these _people_ who dare call themselves parents!" Mom declared angrily.

I was totally on board with that; Mom could be scary when she was angry, and no doubt she'd chew them out for treating Haru like that. But, I had to wonder if it was a good idea.

"You sure that's a good idea?" I asked, voicing my doubts.

"Oh, Rin, honey, it's a fantastic idea. I won't even ask you to help me hide the bodies."

That drew an unexpected laugh from Haru, the sound like music to my ears after seeing him so miserable. He was smiling, albeit slightly, looking at my mother with nothing but love and appreciation.

"Thank you, Matsuoka-san. But I doubt talking to them will help. The Tachibana's already tried that."

Mom huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If you don't want me to go, then I won't. But you can be sure I'll be cursing them every minute of the day."

"Thank you," Haru said softly, and I could just imagine how appreciative he was that Mom wasn't doing something he didn't want.

"Right, well, I'm going to make snacks. I don't care if you're just eaten, food always helps."

And with that, she turned on her heel and went into the kitchen to take out her anger on the food.

I huffed a laugh, before turning to Haru once again. He caught my eye and smiled, snuggling in closer in my arms.

"I've missed you," he whispered, scanning my face.

"I missed you, too," I said, kissing his lips and reveling in their softness.

He tilted his head, one hand coming up to tangle in my hair. His lips moved slowly and sweetly against mine, as if he was memorizing their feel, as if he wanted to make sure I was real.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine, the close up view of his sapphire eyes breathtaking.

"The clouds have cleared, and the stars are within reach," he murmured.

I raised my brows in confusion, but he just shook his head slightly, pecking my lips again.

"I should call Makoto, before he ends up dying from worry."

"I told Sei to let him know that you're here, but yeah, he'll want to know what happened. I'll go help Mom in the kitchen, and you can talk to him in private."

He shot me a grateful look, kissing the piercings above my eyebrow. I let him scramble off of my lap, and then I stood, making my way to the kitchen while he pulled out his phone and dialed Makoto's number.

In the kitchen, Mom was violently putting together p.b. and j. sandwiches, the butter knife looking threatening in her hand.

"Careful there, we want the food to be recognizable," I teased, leaning on the counter next to her.

"I have to take my anger out on something," she growled. I watched her for a moment, and then she sighed and put the knife down, turning to me. "I've never hated two people so much in my life, and I haven't even met them!"

"I know what you mean. I'm so fucking pissed that they'd hurt him. Like, the emotional abuse wasn't enough? Telling him he needs to change, that wasn't enough to satisfy them? Then they had to go and hurt him physically."

We let silence wash over us as I helped her make the sandwiches and pour some chips into a bowl. Haru's hushed voice was barely audible from the other room, and we made sure to stay in the kitchen until we were sure he was done talking.

As I grabbed the bowl of chips, Mom stopped me before I could leave the room.

"Rin," she said seriously, demanding my full attention. "You better love that boy with everything you have."

I grinned, turning to head over to Haru. "Already done."

The three of us snacked on the sandwiches and chips, not really hungry but finding it to be a good distraction. We didn't talk about the situation, choosing lighter topics instead. I told them about the drunk customer we'd gotten earlier in the week, how he was babbling nonsense and making a scene at 2 in the afternoon. Sei had to escort him out, but not before Sosuke and I had convinced the drunk that he was actually on the moon.

Every smile I drew from Haru felt like a huge victory, butterflies going wild in my stomach with the knowledge that I was helping him, even if just a little. He stayed glued to my side, and I periodically pressed kisses to his shoulder or cheek while Mom looked on fondly.

"Let me take my stuff upstairs real quick," I said, grabbing my duffle bag. I slung it over my shoulder and jogged up the stairs, flinging open my bedroom door and letting the memories from Christmas wash over me. Everything was just as I'd left it.

I put my bag on the ground by my nightstand, really looking forward to sharing a bed with Haru again. I unpacked the few things I'd brought with me while I was at it, hanging up my clothes and stowing the duffle away in my closet. With that done, I headed downstairs again to join the others.

I stopped on the last step when I heard Haru's voice, talking in hushed tones.

"How are you so accepting?" He was saying, sounding as if he honestly didn't know. "With Rin and I, I mean. You seem as if you really don't care who he's in to."

I heard Mom chuckle, and I could just imagine her fond gaze as she replied.

"Because I don't," she said simply. "Trust me, Haru, I was just relieved that he stopped being so angsty. You should have seem him in middle school, he was a big ball of anger and tears. When he finally started to get himself figured out, it was like I finally saw the light at the end of the teenage tunnel."

"He does seem like he would make every little situation dramatic."

Well, rude. How dare they call me angsty and dramatic. I was _so_ not.

"Besides," Mom went on, her voice getting softer. "Love isn't so easy to come by. You don't really realize how special it is until you've lost it. I don't want to be the one to take it away. Life can do that well enough."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, not having heard her talk about her relationship with Dad in a really long time. I felt like I understood her viewpoint so much better now, feeling a little guilty for frustrating her so much when I was younger.

"You're incredible," Haru said in awe after a moment. “What a true mother should be like…”

“Oh, come here, you,” Mom said, sounding flustered. There was a pause, in which I imagined Mom hugging Haru tightly.

“Thank  you,” Haru whispered, voice muffled.

I leaned against the wall, grinning as I waited. If nothing else, I was going to make sure Haru thought of this place as home.

After a few minutes of silence, I decided their little heart to heart must be done, so I hopped off the last step and walked into the room, finding Haru curled up in the corner of the couch while Mom flipped through the channels on the TV. Haru reached his hand out when he saw me, which I took in my own when I sat next to him. He cuddled up close to me, and we spent a good hour just watching TV in silence. I could tell he wasn’t really focusing on what was happening on screen, probably lost in his thoughts. I kept running my fingers through his hair in an attempt to comfort him, but I didn’t say anything, figuring it was best to let him sort out his thoughts.

After a while, though, I could tell he was getting fidgety, squeezing my hand like his life depended on it.

“Mom, we’re gonna turn in early,” I said, getting up and pulling Haru to his feet.

“Alright,” Mom said, “Let me know if you boys need anything.”

Haru and I headed upstairs and into my room, where we stripped off our clothes and pulled on something comfortable to sleep in. Haru curled up under the covers, turning his back to me. When I crawled in next to him, he wiggled back toward me, and I got the hint and wrapped my arms around him.

“Do you wanna talk?” I asked, palm pressed against his chest, right over his heart.

“No… I think I’d just like you to hold me. I’ve missed your strong arms.”

Holding back a whimper, I hugged him close, burrowing my nose in his hair.

“Whatever you want, Haru.”

It wasn’t too late yet, but I had no plans of moving until morning. Haru must’ve been exhausted, physically and emotionally, and I was going to do everything I could to make him comfortable. I’d lay there for as long as he wanted, holding him and kissing him and whispering sweet words.

Now, though, I laid in silence, rubbing a soothing hand up and down his torso.

And then I listened to his soft sobs, holding his trembling body close as I held back my own tears and let him finally fall apart in my arms.

...o0o...

Haru and I didn’t get out of bed until almost noon the next day, cuddling and kissing in silence. It wasn’t until we heard the front door slam close downstairs and a high voice yell, “Onii-chan! Haruka-senpai!” that we reluctantly made the effort to move. We threw on our clothes for the day just a second before the door burst open, and then there were arms around us both as we were pulled into a hug, forced to bend down to her height.

“Oh, Senpai,” Gou said, pushing me away after a moment to focus on Haru. “Mom told me what happened. I just… I’m so _mad_ right now.”

And she did look furious, though her anger was shared by the sadness I saw in her eyes. Haru smiled, small but genuine as Gou ranted about the injustice of it all.

“It’s great to see you, Kou,” Haru said, and Gou beamed in happiness.

Then she pulled us downstairs, where she announced that she would make us breakfast since Mom was at work. I quickly pushed her out of the way, not wanting to die of food poisoning before I even got to live my life.

When I opened the fridge, I was surprised to find fresh mackerel, looking like it had been put there just hours before. I couldn’t help but smile, picturing Mom going out early in the morning just to get Haru’s favorite food. While Gou kept Haru busy with her chatter (which I was grateful for since it kept his mind off things), I got started on breakfast.

The look of pure wonder and joy on Haru’s face when I set the plate of mackerel in front of him was enough to make the butterflies in my stomach go wild.

“I wasn’t allowed to have mackerel there,” he said softly, staring at the fish like it held the answers to the universe.

And okay, that was just going overboard, Not letting Haru have mackerel was probably the worst kind of torture for him.

“Then dig in. There’s more where that came from.”

As the day went on, Haru seemed to relax bit by bit, and his smile came to him more naturally. It was great to have Gou there, since she had endless things to talk about and Haru looked like he was seriously interested. Sometime during the day, Makoto, Rei, and Nagisa showed up, having gotten my address from Gou. They all gave Haru tight hugs, and even Nagisa was serious for the few moments he spent in Haru’s embrace.

And then we all just talked, carefully avoiding the topic of Haru’s family. Nagisa and Rei had heard everything from Makoto anyway, and it was like some sort of unspoken agreement:

Keep Haru’s mind off things and help him have fun.

And it was working, for the most part. Every now and then, Haru would go quiet and he would stare off into space, but he was brought back easily enough by one of us doing something stupid. We were a good distraction, keeping the atmosphere upbeat and full of laughter.

When Mom came home from work, she was surprised to find us all in a dogpile after Nagisa had started a tickle fight. Makoto, polite as ever, introduced himself and apologized for the intrusion, and Mom clapped him on the shoulder and said he was the cutest thing on the planet. She was ecstatic to meet them, especially when she and Nagisa started swapping stories about me.

That wasn’t exactly the best moment of my life, but it got Haru to laugh, so there was that. We all ate dinner together, which turned out to be pizza since no one wanted to cook. Afterward, the guys went home, giving us all huge hugs while Nagisa kissed Mom’s cheek and told her she was awesome. Mom laughed her head off, and Nagisa ran off before I could strangle him.

Mom loved our friends, Haru was smiling, and despite everything else, it had been a good day.

Friday went by in a similar fashion, Gou, Haru, and I staying in and playing video games for hours on end. I would find Haru staring at me every now and then, but when I asked him what was up, he’d just shake his head and say, “I just really love you.”

No, I did not blush when he said that.

Eventually, though, Haru got restless and nothing seemed to be helping. I thought for a moment, wondering what I could do to help, when an idea struck me. I ran up the stairs and barged into Gou’s room, snatching up her schoolbag and digging through it until I found an empty notebook. She could yell at me later if she wanted, but I knew this was the best way for Haru to relax.

When I handed over the notebook and a pencil to Haru, his eyes lit up. He carefully opened it to the first page and immediately began scribbling, scratching out words quickly as if they would disappear from his mind if he didn’t jot them down fast enough. He didn’t speak to anyone for a long time, just filling up pages with God knows what. I let him have some space, not wanting to make in uncomfortable even though I was dying to know what he was writing.

Without Haru to talk to, I got myself some paper of my own and started drawing, sketching out waves and a fiery sunset, getting lost in the silence, the only sound coming from our pencils moving against paper.

When Mom called us for dinner, we realized how long we’d been absorbed in our tasks, necks stiff when we straightened out. Haru closed the notebook, looking calmer and at ease, and I put my unfinished sketch away, left to be finished another time.

Dinner went by smoothly, and it was only after we’d eaten and were putting away the dishes that Haru finally spoke up.

“When would be a suitable time to go back?” He asked softly.

Mom and I exchanged a look, and Gou looked between the three of us with rapt attention.

“When do you want to?” Mom asked, her tone neutral.

“I - I don’t know,” Haru admitted, brow furrowing in thought. “A part of me wants to talk it out soon, get it over with now that they’ve probably cooled down a bit. I just have so many questions now. But another part of me never wants to go back. They didn’t call to check up on me… I doubt they’ve changed their minds in just one day.”

He looked so resigned as he put the glasses in the cupboard, shoulders hunched over as if there was a huge weight on them.

“You don’t have to go back now,” Mom said, leaning against the counter. “You don’t have to go back at all. With how they treated you, they’re the ones who should reach out to you, Haru. If you want to see them and talk, then that’s your choice, but I think you should stay here at least another day. Get your thoughts sorted out a bit. I don’t think you’re ready to face them just yet.”

Haru nodded, sighing. “You have a point. Maybe they’ll reconsider if they have more time to reflect.”

“Whatever you decide, you know you can stay here for as long as you want.”

“Yeah!” Gou added, hopping on the tips of her toes. “And with you here, Senpai, Onii-chan’s staying too, and you know how rare that is!”

“Hey!” I said indignantly. “I visit!” Mom and Gou both raised their eyebrows at me. “...Sometimes.”

Haru chuckled in amusement. “Then I think I’ll stay another day, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” Mom said. “The house if finally lively again.”

With that settled, we migrated out of the kitchen, my arm around Haru’s shoulder. He flopped down on the couch, picking up the notebook again and flipping through it. Gou was trying to convince me to let her do my hair, which Mom was all for, when the doorbell rang.

“I got it!” I yelled, making my escape. Saved by the bell, literally.

When I opened the door, I was surprised to find Makoto, a container held in one hand and an envelope in the other.

“Hey man, what’s up?” I said, moving to the side to let him in.

“I was coming over anyway, so Mom insisted I bring over some dumplings.” He took his shoes off, and I took the container from him.

“Sweet! Tell your mom I said thanks.” I glanced at the envelope curiously, motioning to it. “What’ve you got there?”

Makoto looked down at the envelope, turning it over in his hands. “I’m not too sure. It’s addressed to Haru, actually. It’s, uh, it’s from his parents.”

I understood the look of worry he shot me, but I was just plain confused. Why the hell would they send him a letter? He had his phone with him, they could’ve just called.

“That’s… weird,” I said, shaking my head. “Come on, Haru’s in the living room.”

While Makoto went to hand over the envelope, I headed to the kitchen to put away the dumplings. When I came back, I found Makoto sitting across from Haru, who was staring at the envelope with curiosity.

“Should I… Should I open it?” Haru asked, seeming unsure of himself. His voice wavered, and I could tell he was nervous.

“I say get it over with,” I said, sitting next to Makoto.

Haru looked at me, and I gave him a nod of encouragement. He was hesitant when opened the envelope, pulling out the papers inside. We watched as he scanned over the first page, his eyes widening with every line he read.

Haru sucked in a surprised breath, staring at the page in disbelief.

“Oh.” He said, the word coming out in a whisper. Then he laughed, a small, broken laugh that made my stomach churn and my heart drop. “I guess this answers all my questions.”

“What are you talking about?” I demanded, my heart racing.

His empty smile dropped and was replaced with a look of pure misery. His eyes darted back and forth over the same spot, as if he was reading the same few words over and over again.

“It seems that if they can’t have the perfect son, they’d rather not have a son at all.”

The words hit me like a ton of bricks. The others gasped and yelled out in outrage, but I was gently trying to pry the paper from Haru’s hands to look it over. He had a white-knuckled grip on it, his hands trembling faintly and refusing to let go. When I finally managed to get it from him, I noticed the heart shattering look of devastation on his features, and I quickly looked over the page. 

And there it was in black and white: Haru had been disowned.

I stared at the words in shock, trying to process it. I was vaguely aware of Mom ranting in anger, but I was too busy trying to understand how they could even do something like that.

“Grandmother,” Haru’s voice drew me back to reality, and I saw him flipping through the other pages in wonder. “She… She left me the house in her will. I was supposed to be the rightful owner of it when I turned twenty.” He looked up, then, blue eyes filled with distress and pain, looking between each of us. “They never told me that. I should’ve known as soon as I inherited it, but they never bothered to tell me. She even left me money, but they never said a word!”

Before I could even think to move, Makoto was crawling forward and throwing an arm around Haru, rubbing his shoulder and looking as anguished as Haru himself.

“Oh, Haru…” He said, eyes filled with sympathy. “Did they leave you a letter or something? A note or anything?”

Haru flipped through the pages again, peeking into the envelope when he found nothing. Spotting something, he reached in and pulled a small note, slipping it over to find just a few words scrawled onto the sheet.

“‘We’ve moved our belongings out, and the money has been transfered to your account,’” he read numbly. “‘Do not bother to contact us.’ That’s it. That’s all it says.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. After all of that, they left him with just two sentences? They kept secrets from him, they _disowned_ him, and all they bothered to say was ‘don’t contact us?’

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” Haru said, crushing the note in his hand. “I did everything they ever wanted. And yet, they can’t see past something as superficial as gender! And now, when they decide that I can’t live up to their expectations, they abandon me as if I’m nothing.” Haru got to his feet, teeth clenched and tears swimming in his eyes despite how furious he seemed. “If this is their decision, then fine. I’ve managed just fine on my own so far, I don’t need them to define my worth!”

And with that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

“Haru!” Mom called, trying to get him to stop. But he didn’t, and then the sound of a door slamming floated down the stairs.

I was rooted to the spot in shock, not having heard him raise his voice before. When I came to my senses, I hopped up, ready to dash after him. A strong grip on my arm stopped me, though, and I looked over to see Makoto shaking his head at me.

“Let him go,” he said, looking like he wanted to run after Haru too. “He needs to have some time to himself.”

I reluctantly sat down, worry eating away at me as I wondered what was going through Haru’s head. Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to go after him, to comfort him and hold him close. But Makoto was right, and I could do nothing but sit there while Haru fought the demons in his head.

“Those assholes!” Mom shouted, breaking the silence and making us jump “How could they?! He’s their _son_ , who the fuck disowns their own son? And for something as stupid as not being straight? I swear to god, I am going to murder these sorry excuse for humans, just wait until I get my hands on them!”

We all agreed with that sentiment, and then we sat in restless silence, not knowing what to do. Makoto sat shoulder to shoulder with me, and it took all of my willpower not to reach out and rip the papers to shreds.

A soft sniffling rang through the room, making my head shoot up. Gou sat on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest as tears streamed down her face. She let out soft sobs, which only got bigger when our attention was turned to her.

“Gou, come on, don’t cry,” I said pathetically, moving over to her to pull her into a hug. She clung to me and buried her face into my chest, shaking as she cried.

“H-how could they do that?” She sobbed. “They’re supposed to love him. Haruka-senpai’s great, why c-can’t they see that? He didn’t do anything wrong!”

“I know, Gou, I know.” I rubbed her back, holding back my own tears.

“They’re supposed to love him the most. But th-they don’t care, how c-can they not care?”

“I don’t know, Gou…”

And I really didn’t know.

Haru was bright and silent, always listening to everything before speaking up himself. He never judged, he always gave his silent support to everyone he loved. For someone so stoic, his smile lit up the whole damn room.

I didn’t know I was so lucky to meet him and have him in my life. I didn’t know how I was so lucky to have him love me. All I knew was that he was irreplaceable. He was witty and smart, and he had passion. And when he got started on something, he’d go on about it for hours until he was stopped, and who the hell would want to do that? Haru was as pure and kindhearted as they came, and if his parents couldn't’ see that, then they could go fuck themselves.

Gou cried into my chest, and I even heard a few sniffles from Makoto. Mom looked like she was either going to yell again or break down too. It was a miracle that I hadn’t started crying too.

“You know, he’s better off without them,” Makoto said after a while, wiping his eyes. “He knows it, too. They’re not good for him, but they’re still his parents. He’s hurt, even if he hates them for never being there. He’s tried all his life just to feel loved by then.”

“I fucking left him,” I spit out. “They came home, and I left him because I thought it might help. And then this happens. I should’ve stayed and fought for him. But I left like a fucking coward.”

“Rin, it’s not your fault,” Makoto said. “Not even my family could talk sense into them. They were just too unreasonable.”

“Still! I should’ve at least tried! But instead I left him to deal with that shit alone!”

I jumped up, stomping away, not able to leave him alone any longer. I could hear Makoto and Gou trailing after me, but I went straight up to my room and knocked.

“Haru? I’m coming in.”

There was no answer, so I turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

My room was a mess. Papers were scattered everywhere, the sheets had been torn off my bed, and the stuff on my nightstand had been knocked over. Haru stood in the center of it all, breathing hard with bloodshot eyes and wet cheeks. He looked up when we came in, sagging under an invisible weight.

Gou got to him first, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Haru-nii!” She said, making Haru’s breath catch in his throat.

She couldn’t get anymore words out, but the effect on Haru was visible. He hugged her tightly, closing his eyes and letting the fresh tears fall on her shoulder.

“I-I love you so much,” Gou said, pulling away and looking him in the eyes. “Please, _please_ remember that.”

She ran out the room then, leaving Makoto and I with Haru. Makoto gave a watery smile, before bending down the pick up the strewn papers from the ground.

“Sorry… for the mess…” Haru choked out, rubbing his eyes.

I shook my head, not caring about that at all.

“Whatever makes you feel better,” I said softly, sitting on the bed and pulling him down with me.

Makoto cleaned up by himself, putting everything away neatly while I could only stare at Haru, who laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The tears were gone now, but his eyes were wet and so, so blue.

It was cruel, how someone could look so beautiful when they were in so much pain.

When Makoto was done, he came over to us, sitting down too. He was silent for a minute, as if gathering his thoughts before he spoke.

“You know, Haru,” he said quietly. “Your family’s not all gone.”

Before Haru could react,  Makoto leaned over and kissed the top of his head. Then he stood up and smiled, a smile too weak to be on his face.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

And then he left, leaving Haru stunned and speechless. With only him and I left, I turned all of my attention to him, laying down next to him

“What’re you thinking?” I asked, desperate to know what was going on his head.

Haru didn’t say anything for a while, his throat moving as he worked to swallow.

“I keep thinking one word: ‘why?’ Why can’t they accept me for who I am? Why is it so wrong to love someone of the same sex? Why are they so narrowminded? Their words keep replaying in my head, and I’m wondering if they had ever actually cared for me.”

He sounded numb as he spoke those words, and my heart ached for him. It was like he was trying to shut down his emotions and make sense of it, when there was nothing to make sense _of_. He didn’t need to analyze it, but he was doing just that.

“They didn’t run after me,” he continued, voice soft. “They never called out my name when I ran off, they didn’t yell for me to stop. They just let me go, not bothering to even call and see if I’m safe. Then, when I felt like I should go and talk it out, they disown me. On top of that, they sent it to Makoto’s instead of talking to me face to face. And now I’m wondering if they ever cared at all. Was I not good enough for them? I always did everything they said, tried to be the perfect son. But it wasn’t enough.”

In one swift motion, I rolled over so I was on top of him, hands on either side of his head as he stared up at me in surprise.

“Bullshit!” I said fiercely, “Don’t even fucking think of shit like that. It’s not _you_ that’s not good enough, Haru, it’s _them_. They’re not right in this. They’re the one’s who’re fucked up. You don’t treat family like that!

Haru smiled sadly, and I just couldn’t take that. I couldn’t see him look so broken and defeated. My tears finally started seeping out, dripping onto his cheeks.

“Listen to me, Haru,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Whatever happens, you’ve always got us. You’ve got Makoto and his family, and you know they love you to pieces. You’ve got Nagisa and Rei and the others. Even Sosuke cares about you, even if he doesn’t show it. You’ve got a family who loves you and wouldn’t trade you for the world. So what if they’re not related by blood? That doesn’t mean they care about you any less. You’re apart of that family, Haru, no matter what.”

As the tears dripped onto his skin, Haru reached a hand up, cupping my cheek.

“Rin, don’t cry for me. You don’t need to cry for me.”

“Of fucking course I do! And you know why? ‘Cause you deserve to be cried for. You deserve so much, and you need to get it through your thick head that you’re not alone. You’ve got Mom and Gou, and you’ve got me. Gou called you ‘Haru-nii’, and you know what that means? It means she thinks of you as a brother. And if things work out, you could be, someday. I love you more than I love anything, I’m gonna be here for you as long as you let me. So don’t you _ever_ think your family doesn’t care about you, because even if your so called parents are jackasses, this family needs you in it.”

My words were broken with sobs, and Haru looked at me with fondness. He stroked my cheek with his thumb, not bothering to wipe away my tears from his face.

“I hate them, you know,” he said, his other hand coming up to rest on my bicep. “I hate them for making me feel like I wasn’t worth it. I hate them for never being there, but at the same time I wish I could have been enough.”

“You _are_ enough,” I urged.

“I’m starting to see that now. Maybe I wasn’t enough for them, and even if that hurts… I feel so free now. Like the cage they trapped me in is finally unlocked, and I can be whatever I want without the fear of being judged.” He smiled, a few tears slipping out. “And through the darkness, I see the glow of countless stars, forming constellations and inviting me in. Maybe I do have a place in this family, after all.”

And then he pulled me down until we were chest to chest and he was squeezing me  tightly. His body shook but his voice was steady, and through the pain that laced his words, I heard the beginnings of hope.

“I wanted to be free. This may not have been the way I wanted it to go, but it happened. I’m free, and now, without fear of ny backlash or lack of acceptance, I can say it to anyone and everyone. I love you, Rin.”

Nose to nose with him, I was lost in the sea of his eyes. And when he kissed me, I was breathless, sure that no matter what, Haru was the only one for me.

“I’m going to be free, and I’ll show them that they’re wrong. You’ve never been anything other than the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” His lips brushed over mine again, and I felt him sigh and sink further in the mattress, eyes closing and body pressed against mine.

“The stars are peeking out, chasing away the darkness with their colors. And one, red and bright and fierce, shines brighter than the rest. And in it, I find warmth. I find my home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In his mind (and on paper), Haru talks about the darkness of the emotions that cloud his mind. And when he needs to be reminded that he is indeed loved, he talks about the stars, and how they shine through, just within reach. All he has to do is reach out and grab hold of their brightness, and accept the love that his true family holds for him.
> 
> I hope you guys liked that chapter. From here on, things will move a little quicker, since the story will be wrapping up soon. As always, thanks for reading, and all comments and kudos are appreciated. You guys can always hit me up on tumblr (sharkbait-rin)


	28. Sea of Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gou has a confession, Haru has a request, and Rin isn't so lost anymore.  
> A new school year has started, and while everyone else is working towards their goals, Rin may have found one for himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that there will be 30 chapters in this fic, so things are coming to a close! I track this fic using the tag fic:ilyal, and you guys can hit me up on tumblr (sharkbait-rin) anytime.

As soon as we'd stepped through my apartment door on Saturday night, Haru had me pinned against the wall, nudging the door shut with this foot. I grunted, caught off guard and surprised to find his lips attacking my own. I let it happen, though, closing my eyes and kissing back, letting him lead.

I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised; all day, Haru had seemed restless, looking lost one minute and then angry and determined the next. Mom fussed over him all day, doing her best to make him feel loved, and Makoto and the others came over to hang out too. But even then, Haru would sometimes be lost in his own head, staring off into space. I distracted him with little kisses, and at one point, a full on makeout session that got cheers from Nagisa. In those moments, Haru got rough, kissing me with every he had, like he needed to make sure I was real.

Or just lose himself in something.

And so I told Mom that we'd be going back to my place tonight, where we could relax and I could give Haru whatever he wanted.

I just didn't expect him to slam me up against the wall as soon as we stepped inside. Not that I was complaining.

Haru bit at my lips, making me gasp and using that moment to slip his tongue into my mouth. He kept his hands firmly placed on my hips to keep me from moving. A leg slipped in between my thighs and I groaned; the friction just wasn't enough yet.

"Haru, bed," I panted when he pulled away for air.

His lips came back to attack my neck, sucking and nipping at all the right places.

"Too far," he stated, as his hands slipped around my back and traveled further down. "Right here. I'm going to take you right here."

He punctuated the statement with a firm squeeze of my ass. My hips bucked forward, a pang of arousal shooting through me. I'd never bottomed before. It'd always been Haru, who seemed to enjoy himself and never complained. The closest I had ever gotten to it was when Haru fingered me, barely getting up to three fingers before I came.

It was something I didn't like talking about.

Now, I was buzzing with excitement. It would be a total lie to say that I hadn't been looking forward to something like this, so all I could do was moan as I let Haru slip his palms under my shirt.

"Doing it right here in the entryway?" I said, my fingers slipping into his hair as he latched onto my collarbone. "Gonna fuck me against the wall? Didn't know you had it in you, babe."

He shut me up my sliding his hand up and pinching my nipple, which was actually pretty effective. I threw my head back and banged it against the wall, barely even feeling the pain with the way Haru was playing my nipples.

He pulled his mouth back and I got a look at his eyes, pupils blown and filled with scorching lust. There was a moment in which we just stared at each other, and then we were scrambling to take our shirts off. His hands were all over me as soon our chests were bare, fingers sliding over my abs and lips mouthing at my jawline.

"Rin... Need you..." He muttered hotly, getting rougher with his exploring.

"Ah - I know, I know. Take anything you want, drive me crazy."

And he did, pulling me in for another rough kiss. It was sloppy, all tongue and teeth, but I didn't care. He was sucking on my tongue, mapping out my mouth with his bruising kisses. I felt hot all over, putty in his hands as he roughly worked on undoing my jeans. I never thought I'd like being pinned down like this, but it was liberating in a way, letting Haru take control. He needed this, too, needed to feel in control after everything that happened. And I was more than happy to give it to him.

"Turn around," Haru ordered as soon as he got my fly down.

I was a bit disappointed, because it meant that we had to stop kissing, but I did as I was told. I turned around to face the wall and braced myself on my forearms, arching my back inwards with my ass pushed out. Haru worked on getting my jeans off, and for once in my life, I hated how tight they were.

After a bit of struggling, he managed to pull them down all the way, and I kicked them off. Next came my briefs, and before I knew it I was standing completely naked with Haru roughly sucking at the back of my neck.

"Tell me of you want to stop," he whispered in my ear. He waited only long enough for me to nod, and then he was sliding down to his knees behind me. He laid his palms on my cheeks, squeezing them and spreading the apart. The color rose to my cheeks, never having had someone looked at my most vulnerable spot so closely. It was embarrassing, but at the same time it made me even harder, knowing that Haru would be inside me soon enough.

Haru leaned in and I felt his breath ghost over my exposed hole. I shivered, my hands curling into fists against the wall. I could barely stand the anticipation, knowing what he was going to do and _aching_ for it. Which was why I was so surprised when he teased the flesh of my thigh with his teeth, instead of going straight for it.

He nipped at the point where my thigh met my ass. The sting of pain nearly made my knees buckle, and I was alarmed by just how much I liked it. Haru’s lips then traveled up, his tongue darting out to lick a trail up my left cheek.

Without warning, his tongue flicked out at my entrance, the warm wetness of it catching me off guard.

“Fuck!” The curse left my mouth in a shout, and I was sure I felt Haru smirk against me.

He was relentless, not wasting any time with teasing. He got right to it, holding my cheeks apart and delving his tongue in between them. I barely paid attention to the sounds leaving my lips, mind hazy with pleasure. My cock hung heavy and hard in between my legs, begging for attention. It went completely ignored as Haru dragged his tongue up from my balls and across my hole, before locking his lips and sucking.

He switched between lapping over my entrance to sucking on it, scraping his teeth against it gently every now and then. My cock was dripping precome, but when I moved a hand down to stroke it, Haru smacked my hand away.

I couldn’t help but whine, wanting _more_ but unable to get it.

“Be patient,” Haru ordered, his voice husky and low. As much as I wanted to disobey him and just touch myself, I also wanted to be good for him. So I diligently kept my hands on the wall as he circled his tongue around the tight ring of muscle before pushing it right in.

“Ohmygod,” I choked out, all in one breath.

Haru’s tongue was thrusting into me, hot and slick as he licked me open. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before, way different than his fingers. I found myself pushing back onto his tongue, quiet whimpers slipping past me as I did my best to get more. I was practically riding his face, jolts of pleasure sparking through me with  every thrust and suck.

“C’mon, c’mon,” I urged, listening to obscene sounds coming from Haru’s mouth against my hole. “Haru, c’mon, please, I need -”

 _Smac_ k.

“Ah!” The breath left my lungs and my cock twitched, my right cheek tingling. “Fuck, _fuck_.”

Haru had slapped my ass, lightly so it wouldn’t hurt much but enough that the sensation left me craving for more. All the while, he kept eating me out, his hands kneading my ass.

The second slap was slightly harder, making my legs tremble in the best of ways. The pain turned to pleasure, and my cock ached to be touched. The heat in my gut was building, and I didn’t doubt that I could come just from him smacking my ass and fucking me with his tongue.

“Lube,” Haru said, pulling back. He made to get up, to go to the bedroom to get it, but I stopped him before he could move.

“Wallet, lube, condom,” I panted, hoping that I made sense. I was beyond being able to string together a full sentence, surprised that I  could even keep myself up.

“Keeping supplies in you wallet, Rin?” Haru questioned as he reached for my jeans. “Hoping you’d get lucky wherever we were?”

I could only moan as he took out the packet of lube and the condom from my wallet, ripping open the lube packet and smearing the liquid onto his fingers. I watched over my shoulder as he examined my ass, eyes locked hungrily on my red cheek.

“Do you like that?” He asked, palming at the flesh. “Because I like the sounds it draws from you, the pretty little noises you can’t hold back.”

He slapped my ass again for good measure, getting a moan and a whimper from me. Then his fingers came up to tease at my hole, slick with lube. He easily slid one in, sliding it in an out.

“You should see yourself,” Haru said, slipping in another finger next to the first. “You look absolutely obscene, pushing back onto my fingers like that. You like getting your ass slapped and having my tongue fucking you open, don’t you? Look at you, just begging for more, begging me to fill you up.”

“Yes, fuck yes,” I agreed, not above begging. I’d do anything to come, to be filled up and fucked hard. Haru was driving me crazy with the way he was purposely avoiding my sweet spot, getting so close to it only to pull back. My cock was ready to burst, but I didn’t have permission to touch myself yet. Instead, I focused completely on the fingers inside me, on the filthy words coming from Haru’s mouth and the occasional slap I received on my tender flesh.

The third finger was a bit of a stretch, but I reveled in the burn. Haru curled and scissored his fingers, thoroughly stretching me open. I knew that no matter how hard he wanted to take me, he’d make sure I was completely ready first.

“Dammit, Haru, just get on with it,” I growled, patience wearing thin. “Ah!” My words were met with another smack, this time on the opposite cheek, but Haru pulled his fingers out all the same.

I looked over my shoulder to see him fumbling with his zipper, desperately trying to get it down over the bulge in his pants. He didn’t bother taking his pants off, sliding them down just far enough so he could take his cock out. I groaned at the sight and watched as he tore open the condom and slid it over the wet head of his cock. A hiss left his lips at the first touch, and he used what was left of the lube to slick himself up.

I was shoved up against the wall again, chest flush against the surface as he molded his front to my back.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard, Rin," he breathed into my ear. “You’ll feel it for days.”

“I don’t see you actually doing it,” I taunted, rubbing my ass back against his cock and smirking at the moan I received. “All talk and no action, Nanas- _oh,_ fuck!”

I was cut off when the head of his cock breached my opening. My mouth hung open as I screwed my eyes shut, his cock pushing in inch by inch. His lips were right by my ear and he groaned as I did my best to relax and let him in.

I moaned when he finally bottomed out, panting and feeling like I could collapse any second. I was relieved when his arm came up and wrapped around my middle,pulling me flush against him and giving me the support to stay on my feet.

“So - fucking - good,” I bit out.

It felt like my whole body was on fire. I’d never felt so _full_ before, and I had to wonder why I’d never tried this. It was amazing, being so close to him and having him inside me, listening to him panting in my ear.

When he moved, he started out slow, getting me used to the penetration. But after a few experimental thrusts, he finally got down to business, snapping his hips forward and tearing gasps and moans from my throat. His thrusts were hard and rough, taking out all of his emotions on me in the best way possible.

“Yes, yes Haru, just like that,” I encouraged, meeting his thrusts by pushing back onto his cock. My own cock was dribbling precome, and again I tried reaching for it, only to have my hand smacked away and a harsh slap to fall on my right cheek.

“I want you to come like this,” Haru panted, his thrusts getting rougher. “I want you to come on my cock. Can you do that, Rin?”

“Yeah, yeah, anything, anything you want,” I babbled. My nipples were rubbing against the wall, sending sparks of pleasure down my spine and making me short of breath.

I’d never thought of myself as very vocal in bed. I always kept the noises down to a few moans and grunts.

I certainly never thought of myself as a screamer.

But then Haru’s hand was sliding into my hair and gripping tight, pulling with just enough force to not be too painful. He angled his hips just right and hit my prostate, and that along with his grip on my hair had me throwing my head back with all the sensations coursing through me.

And I screamed his name, loud and clear, begging for him to fuck me hard.

“Harder, dammit. Fuck, gimme everything you’ve got,” I demanded. The sounds of flesh slapping together filled the room, and Haru’s grip on my hair tightened even further.

His moans were delicious, coupled together with the soft ‘Rin’s he let slip every now and then. He was lost, chasing his release and pushing me closer to mine. His cock rubbed inside me just right, hitting that spot deep inside me that had me seeing stars.

I was close, so, so close. The heat was curling in my gut, burning hotter with every pull of my hair and every harsh thrust Haru delivered. My fingers clawed at the wall, so close to my orgasm but not completely there yet.

What finally did it was when Haru’s lips latched on to my right earlobe, taking the infinity earring into his mouth and sucking on it. That, along with with one last, sharp thrust had me moaning low in my throat as my cock twitched and come began to spurt out. My orgasm surged through me, leaving me breathless as I struggled to keep myself up.

“ _Rin_ ,” Haru moaned, his hips stuttering as he fucked me through my orgasm.

I clenched around him and he came soon after, groaning and filling up the condom. When his hips finally stilled, we stood like that for a few moments, trying to catch our breaths.

“Holy shit,” I breathed, legs feeling like jelly. I looked down to see the wall splattered with my come.

“Indeed,” Haru murmured, taking hold of my chin and turning my face so he could kiss me.

I ignored the taste of myself on his tongue and kissed him back. The kiss was a lot tamer than the rough fuck we’d just had, and a hand came down to massage my cheek, which no doubt had a handprint on it.

“I didn’t know you liked that,” Haru said, peppering my neck with kisses. I blushed, looking away.

“I didn’t know I liked that either.”

We stood in silence for a few moments, but then standing started become difficult for me. Now soft, Haru easily slipped out, sliding off the condom and tying it up.

“Why don’t you go lay down?” He suggested, tucking his cock back into his pants. “I’ll clean up here.”

“You sure?” I asked, even as my legs trembled when I moved. I wasn’t even sure how I’d make it to my room.

Haru smiled, kissing me on the nose.

“Go on, I’ll be right there.”

Not arguing any further, I slowly made my way to my room. The discomfort was already starting to settle it, but the high of my incredible orgasm overpowered it. When I reached my bed, I collapsed onto it, closing my eyes. I was blissfully drowsy, but I fought to keep myself awake until Haru came back. I didn’t have to wait long, jolting awake when he lightly slapped my ass again.

“You wanna make me hard again?” I grumbled, burrowing further into the bed. He smiled and climbed in next to me. A soft kiss was placed on my lips, and I noticed that he had brushed his teeth. He was naked now, too, cuddling up close to me and running his fingers through my hair.

“You were amazing,” he praised.

I blushed but hid my face in his chest, draping an arm over him.

“Do you feel better now?” I asked quietly, looking up into his eyes.

My heart swelled with the way he looked at me, filled with so much love and fondness. I just wanted to kiss him forever, make him laugh and giggle and grin like there was nothing else in the world other than us.

“Much better. I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

I brushed off his concern with  a shake of my head and pointy-toothed grin. “Nope, it was amazing. I learned some stuff about myself today. Gotta do that again tomorrow.”

He chuckled, a sound that warmed my heart. “If you say so.”

I snuggled up closer to him, letting him pull the comforter over us both. My eyes were heavy with  sleep, already closing. I felt a feather light kiss being placed on my eyelids, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Love you, Haru,” I mumbled, already half asleep.

“I love you too, Rin,” he whispered back, the sweet sound of his voice lulling me to sleep.

...o0o...

When his week long break was over, Haru had to go back to school. He and Makoto and requested to be roommates again this year, and luckily they were able to keep their old room, so they didn’t have to move anything out. Rei and Nagisa were roommates again too, which didn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

I was reluctant to let Haru go, wanting to be there for him if he needed me. I knew he’d be fine with Makoto keeping him company, but still. Maybe I was a little selfish, wanting him all to myself.

April brought with it cherry blossoms, and every morning on my way to work I would stand under a tree and watch the petals scatter in the wind. It was beautiful, my favorite time of the year, and this time I had someone special to share it with.

The cafe got some new customers, mostly kids who just started college and were scoping out good places to do their schoolwork. The atmosphere at the cafe was better than ever. Everyone was upbeat with the new season, and Sosuke and the others weren’t stressed out yet since the new school year had just begun. Sei spent half his time working in the kitchen, and the other half training to be a cop. The cop angle was doing great for him, if the looks Makoto gave him were anything to go by.

Haru and his gang visited almost every day, Haru looking much happier and Nagisa embarrassing Rei in outrageous ways. It was nice, though, because it really did feel like a family, with Makoto and Sei as the mom and dad. Even Keiji commented on it at one point. Oddly enough, he and Haru had gotten really close lately, sitting together and talking about who knows what. I was glad Haru had someone to relate to, since apparently Keiji had experienced something kind of similar with his family.

As April turned into May, and May gave way to June, I really started to think about my future. The only constant at the moment was Haru. Haru, with his beautiful blue eyes and his sharp wit, Haru with his mind-blowing poetry and charming rare smile. And while I hoped that he would stay in my life forever, I had to look beyond that to what I really wanted to do.

I was completely and totally lost, until Haru came up to me in the cafe one day and said casually, “I know what I want for my birthday.”

"And what's that?" I asked, not pausing in my work. I'd been asking him for days now; with his birthday only a few weeks away, I wanted to get him something he really wanted.

"I want you to design a tattoo for me."

I paused in the middle of my latte art and looked up at him.

“What?” I asked, not sure that I’d heard right.

“I want you to design a tattoo for me,” he repeated, keeping eye contact.

“A tattoo,” I echoed, completely forgetting about the coffee in my hands.

“Oi, Nanase, stop distracting Rin,” Sosuke cut in, glaring at Haru. Haru glared right back, and I was snapped out of my stupor and reminded of the girl waiting for her drink.

“Sorry,” I apologized to her, finishing the art and handing her the coffee. She smiled and thanked me, and as soon as she was gone, I turned back to Haru.

“Now what was this about a tattoo?” I asked, completely ignoring Sosuke.

Haru leaned against the counter, resting his chin in his hand.

“Like I said, I have an idea for a tattoo, and I want you to design it for me.”

“You’re joking, right?” I said, looking at him skeptically. “You want me to design something that’ll be on your skin forever.”

He nodded once, looking satisfied that I finally understood.

“No way,” I protested, holding my hands up. “I am not having that hanging over my head.”

“And why not?” Haru demanded. “You’re a great artist, Rin. And it would be more meaningful if you were the one to draw it.”

“Yeah, but still. What if you don’t like it?”

“I will,” he said confidently.

“But what if you _don’t_?"

Haru rolled his eyes. “Then I’ll have a professional do it. Now will you consider it?”

I stared at him, trying to process exactly what he was asking me. I couldn’t believe he was asking me to draw something that would be permanently etched onto his skin. I had to admit, the thought made my heart skip a beat. He was putting his absolute trust in me.

Before I could freak out over that fact, I noticed that more customers were coming in and lining up.

"Listen, we'll talk about it during my break, okay?" I said, straightening up and putting on a smile for the customers.

Haru nodded once in acknowledgement, then went to find us a table and wait.

My break came soon enough, everything else just a blur of coffee and greetings while my mind kept going over the fact that Haru wanted me to design him a _tattoo_.

When I sat down across from him at a table by the window, he was already scribbling something in his notebook.

"I don't think it will be too complicated for you," Haru said without look up. "The picture you drew me for Christmas tells me that you can do this as well."

"Okay..." I said, feeling nervous. I wanted to impress him so bad, afraid that I'd mess it up and he wouldn't like it.

"I've written down some notes for you as a reference." He finished writing and tore the paper out of the notebook, sliding over to me. "It's all written there, as detailed as I could make it."

He watched as I picked up the paper and scanned over it, eyebrows rising at what I read.

It wasn't surprising at all that he wanted a dolphin tattoo. Specifically, he wanted it in a tribal style, like my shark, and for it to be curving upwards on the left side. What came to mind was a dolphin jumping out of water, but at more of an angle. Opposite the dolphin, he wanted waves curving inward, so it looked kind of like the dolphin and waves were making a circle. In the center of the circle, he wanted the word "Free!" in whatever style I chose was best. While the dolphin and lettering was to be black and white, he wanted some blue to highlight the waves and make them pop.

"I'll do my best," I assured him, looking up after I'd read everything.

Haru smiled, leaning back and relaxing into his chair. I had to wonder, though, why Haru wanted to get a tattoo all of a sudden. He didn't really seem like the type, though I would've thought he's get something to do with his writing if he got one at all.

Glancing back down at the page, a word sprung out at me. 'Free.' It hit me, then, that maybe this was about more than just what looked good. Most people got tattoos of things that meant something important to them. The dolphin, of course, was Haru's favorite animal. He admired its ability to glide through the water so swiftly. The waves represented the ocean, the water Haru loved so much and wrote about more than anything else. And then the word, 'free', held the deepest meaning of them all.

Haru was free, freer than he'd ever been before. His parents weren't breathing down his neck anymore, and he didn't have to pretend to be something he wasn't. He was free to be himself, as I'd heard him say so many times before. Maybe he wasn't completely free yet, his mind still going over everything that had happened a couple of months ago, but he'd get there someday.

And this was a good start.

"I get it," I told him softly.

He tugged on the sleeves of his sweater, pulling them over his fingers.

"I've actually been thinking of getting a tattoo for a few months now," he said, looking out the window. "At first, all I wanted was the dolphin. Your shark looks incredible, and dolphins hold a special meaning to me. But then all that drama with my family happened, and I thought I'd add to my original idea. I want to be able to look in the mirror everyday and feel confident. A permanent reminder than no matter what happened in the past, or what happens in the future, I am my own person, and no one can tell me to be something I'm not."

When he looked at me, there was a fire in his eyes. I found myself grinning, proud that I'd found myself such a strong boyfriend.

"I'm going to make this the best design ever," I promised, the nerves from earlier completely gone. If this tattoo meant that much to Haru, then I was definitely going to draw him something he'd be proud to look at everyday. "I'll make sure to get it done on time, so you can go ahead and schedule an appointment for your birthday."

I reached over and pulled his notebook and pen to me, finding a blank page and writing on it.

"This is the name of the tattoo parlor where I got mine done," I said, pushing the notebook back to him. "They're really close by, and the place is clean and neat. The artist who did my tattoo was great, too. I recommend them, if you wanna check it out."

Haru nodded, closing the book.

"I have complete faith in you, Rin," he said. "I know you'll do an amazing job."

He scooted his chair over to me while I continued grinning like an idiot. I was caught off guard when his fingers slipped into my hair and he tugged my head down, our lips meeting in a rough kiss.

His mouth moved against mine in the most sinful of ways. There was no tongue involved, since we were in the cafe and Sei would probably kick our asses for kissing so hotly. But the way his lips moved sent shivers down my spine, and it took everything I had no to moan out loud.

His teeth nipped at my lower lip, before his tongue darted out to smooth over the bite. All too soon, he pulled back, eyes dark and a smirk on his lips.

"I'm counting on you, Rin."

That afternoon, I went back to work with a half-hard dick and a mind already filling with ideas.

...o0o...

I was sitting in front of the coffee table in my living room, doodling rough sketches of Haru's tattoo, when there was a knock at the front door.

Two weeks after Haru's initial request, I was finally getting somewhere with the design. I had a solid idea in my head. I went through paper after paper of rejections, and it showed with the way they were littered around me. I put down my sketchbook and quickly gathered up some of the papers; I wasn't expecting anyone over, and if it was one of my neighbors, I didn't want them thinking I was a slob.

Even if I was dressed in a tank top and sweats.

With some of the mess finally contained, I got up and headed to answer the door. My legs were aching from staying in one position all day, but it was an ache that came with the knowledge of getting something done.

When I opened the door, I was surprised to find Gou standing there, her bag clutched in her hands. She was wearing a ruffled pink shirt with dark jeans and boots, her hair tied up in her usual ponytail. I was a bit confused; Gou usually called ahead before coming over, but she gave no warning at all this time. On top of that, she startled when I opened the door, looking nervous and apprehensive.

"Hey Gou," I said cautiously, suspicion rising. "What's up?"

"H-Hi, Onii-chan," she said stuttered out, her eyes flickering up to my face and then away again. "I, um, I was wondering if I could talk to you?"

She said it like a question, like she wasn't sure if she _could_ talk to me, which was just stupid.

"'Course," I assured, stepping aside. "Come on in."

She kept her head down as she walked in and took off her boots. I watched her carefully as I closed the door and followed her to the living room, observing the way she sat down on the couch and tried to make herself small. Something was definitely up, and she seemed scared to talk about it.

Come to think of it, every time she came by the cafe the last few weeks, she was always fidgeting. Then, when she opened her mouth to say something, she'd close it again and say never mind.

"What are you working on?" Gou asked, looking over at my sketchbook. I had the feeling she was trying to stall, and there was no way in hell I was going to let her do that.

"Just something for Haru," I said, sitting next to her. "So what do you wanna talk about?"

She looked down at her lap, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," she muttered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"Why not? Did you kill someone?"

"What? No!" She looked up, looking appalled.

"Are you pregnant?"

She squeaked, her face coloring. "Of course not!"

"Are you some kind of witch?"

"Onii-chan, no!"

I shrugged, leaning back in the couch. "Then it's probably nothing too bad. Now spit it out."

She was still blushing, but seemed a little more at ease now. I waited as she drew in a deep breath, letting out slowly and avoiding my eyes.

"I... I think I'm, um, I think I'm aromantic," she said quietly, not looking my way.

I blinked, wondering where she was going with this.

"... And?"

"And-And nothing. That's it. I-I'm aromantic."

I tilted my head slightly, thinking back on everything I knew about sexualities.

"That's different from being asexual, right?" I asked, just to be clear. "Or are you an aromantic asexual? I don't know everything about this kind of stuff, so you'll have to explain it a little."

When I looked back at her, I noticed her looking at me with wide eyes and unhidden surprise.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"That's it?" She asked, her voice filled with tentative relief. "You're not going to say it's just a faze or something?"

"Gou, you do know that I'm gay, right? People tell me that shit all the time. It's not a faze if you don't think it is."

It was like the tension drained out of her all at once, and she sagged back into the couch. She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her cheek on them and looking at me.

"A lot my friends told me it's just 'cause I haven't found the right person yet."

I rolled my eyes. "Your friends are stupid. Now go on, tell me what about it."

"Okay. Um..." She thought for a moment, and I waited patiently.

It hit me that this conversation would probably get a little awkward, talking about sexuality and all. But dammit, I was her big brother; she needed to feel like she come to me about anything. I'd just have to tough out any awkwardness.

"I'm an aromantic heterosexual," she explained. "People who are aromantic don't experience romantic attraction. They can be asexual, too, but they don't have to be. I'm not asexual; I still like guys and their bodies, and I want to do, you know, um, sexual stuff with them."

I nodded, trying not to think of my little sister doing anything sexual with anybody. Talk about gross.

"But I don't want them romantically," Gou continued. "I've never really thought of myself in a relationship, and everyday I look at other couples and don't feel any jealousy at all. Like, I know I could get a boyfriend if I wanted to, but I _don't_ want to. I can't see myself in a relationship. I don't think I'll ever want one, and I'm completely okay with that. When I think of my future, all I see is me travelling the world with my camera, maybe a few hook ups here and there, but nothing romantic or permanent."

I grinned, proud of her.

When the new school year started, Gou had changed her major to photography. She was so excited about it, bursting into the cafe like a giant ball of energy to tell me about her first class and how much she loved it. She loved taking pictures, especially of nature and people, and she excitedly told me all about her dream of becoming a professional photographer and travelling the world.

She had a dream, and as he older brother, I couldn't be happier.

Except now, I had some weight off my shoulders.

"So that means I won't have to glare at some douche bag for the rest of my life?" I asked, liking the idea.

"Onii-chan!" Gou scolded, shoving my shoulder. The anger was lost in her smile, though, and I smiled right back. "Out of everything I told you, /that's what you get out of it?"

"Well, yeah. I thought I'd have to give your future boyfriend hundreds of threats to treat you right, but if you never want a boyfriend, then I can relax. Though, if you're still sexually attracted to guys, you have to be careful, okay? Use protection and all that shit."

"Onii-chan!" Gou covered her face with her hands, thoroughly embarrassed. Hey, I was embarrassed too, dammit, but my sister's safety came first.

"I'm just looking out for you! Mom would say the same thing."

The atmosphere changed abruptly, and Gou tensed again. She moved her hands away from her face and stared at her lap, silent.

"Gou," I said, forgetting all embarrassed to focus on the change. "You did tell Mom, didn't you?"

She shook her head, eyes never leaving her lap.

"Why not?" I asked, trying to come up with an answer. Gou told Mom /everything. It wasn't like her to keep this from her.

"I just wanted to tell you first," she said, but I could hear the lie in her voice.

"Gou," I warned, leaning forward.

"I just... I wasn't sure how she's react."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "Gou, you honestly don't think Mom would be mad, do you?"

Her lack of a response was answer enough, and I could only look on in disbelief. Mom's always been accepting of us no matter. When I came out to her, she'd barely batted an eye, and I knew she's do the same with Gou. She wasn't like the Nanase's or anything.

And, oh. Now Gou's fears made sense. She'd seen first hand how Haru's parents had reacted to him being different. She was probably too scared to even talk to Mom about this.

"Hey," I said gently, scooting over and putting an arm around her shoulders. "Mom isn't like Haru's parents, okay? She won't hate you for being different. She was fine with me being gay, she'll accept you too."

"And what if she doesn't?" Gou asked, voice small. "All parents want their daughters to grow up and marry a strong, capable man. But I won't, and I can't give her grandchildren if I don't want a relationship in the first place."

"First of all, you don't need to be in a relationship to have kids. You still can if you want to, or even adopt. Second, Mom loves you to death. She won't care what your sexuality or preferences are, as long as you're safe and happy. If you're happy, she'll be happy."

Gou looked at me hesitantly, and I gave her a reassuring smile. I was confident Mom wouldn't care about her being aromantic, as long as she was taking care of herself. I had heard first hand Mom's conversation with Haru that day, and I could tell from her words that she loved us no matter what. And if her outrage towards the Nanase's actions were anything to go by, then Gou had nothing to worry about.

"Listen," I said, trying to put her at ease. "If you're nervous, I'll go with you. We can go over next weekend, and we'll tell her together, okay?"

Gou bit her lip, thinking it over. She finally nodded, looking sure.

"Alright."

And then she tackled me in a hug, squeezing me tight and burying her face in my chest. I patted her back, knowing it must have been tough to tell me all that, and hoping she felt better now.

Whether she knew it or not, Gou was loved. She was my only sister, and I'd decided when I was just a kid that I needed to protect her. Mom saw so much of herself in Gou, and she lit up whenever Gou went to stay. Our friends were protective of her, too. All the guys saw her as a little sister, though Momo was still getting used to it. They'd never let anything happen to her, especially Sosuke, who'd grown up helping me protect her from bullies.

So needless to say, when Gou and I visited Mom the next week and told her about Gou being aromantic, Mom just said okay and asked what we wanted for dinner.

Gou hugged her tight and cried her eyes out, glad that there were no problems and Mom still loved her.

And as for me, all I could do was watch those two and wonder how I'd been so blessed to have such an amazing family.

...o0o...

"Are you _sure_ you like it?" I asked for what was probably the hundredth time.

Haru sighed and took the paper out of the death grip I had on it.

"Yes, Rin. I promise that I love it. As I've said over and over again."

"As long as you're sure."

"I'm very sure."

I sighed in relief, stuffing my hands in pockets. It was the 30th of June, Haru's birthday, and we were walking over to the tattoo parlor I had recommended a few weeks ago. Even though I wasn't the one getting the tattoo, I was buzzing with nerves and excitement. It was my art that would be going on Haru's skin, after all.

I had finished the drawing just two days ago, after putting so much time and effort into it. I had to admit, it was probably one of my best works yet. Keiji had full on squealed when he saw it, going on and on about the detail and the color. I was a little proud, to be honest, because if anyone knew about art, it was Keiji.

When I'd given Haru the drawing, I had felt sick with anxiety. All I could think about was him not liking it. And if that happened, what the hell was I supposed to do?

As soon as he laid eyes on the paper, though, he lit up, breaking into a grin. He was absolutely smitten with the design, and while I was glad he liked it, I had to be sure.

Like a hundred more times.

Now, Haru and I walked through the door of a shop called Tiger Tattoos, where I'd gotten my own tattoo and all of my piercings done.

It was a small place, consisting of a reception counter, a couch for the waiting area, and three cubicles: two for tattoos and one for piercings. While Haru went up to counter and signed in for his appointment, I walked around the space and looked around.

The wall behind the couch hung frames with different tattoo designs in them. They were complicated and beautiful, of animals and flowers and rich colors. Already, I was itching to talk to the artist who did them and maybe share some of my own ideas.

"Nanase?" A deep voice called, and I looked over to see a tall, muscled bald man coming out of the nearest cublicle. His arms were covered in tattoos, one a sleeve of vines and the other filled with various small tattoos. I instantly recognized him as Akiyama, the guy who'd done my tattoo for me.

Haru walked over, the drawing clutched in his hands. I was quick to follow, stepping into the cubicle behind them.

There was a bed on one wide, the kind that were covered in white paper that patients would sit on. In the corner was a desk full of files and pens, and Akiyama pulled out the rolling chair and sat down. He motioned for Haru to sit on the bed, which he did. I hovered at the entrance, not sure if I was allowed.

Akiyama noticed me and raised a brow.

"Are you his friend?" He asked, his deep voice making me stand straighter.

"Boyfriend, actually," I responded, trying not to let my voice quiver. "I came with him and was hoping I could watch? You probably don't remember, but you did my tattoo last year."

"Really? Show me, I'll remember when I see it."

Hesitating for only a second, I turned and lifted my shirt up so he could see my back and the shark tattoo. When I turned back around, Akiyama had a huge smile on his face.

"I remember you!" He boomed happily. It was a bit unnerving to see him go from intimidating to cheerful so fast. "You were trying to be tough when you got that tattoo, but you still cried anyway. Good thing your friend wasn't in here to see it."

"I did not cry," I grumbled, ignoring Haru's knowing smile. "Anyway, can I watch?"

"Sure, as long as you don't get in the way. You can sit here." He got up and offered me the chair as he went about getting his tools ready. "So, Nanase, what tattoo do you want to get?"

"This one," Haru said, handing him my drawing.

Akiyama took the page and looked it over, humming deep in his throat.

"This is pretty damn good. The art style is unique; I like the way the exclamation point looks like a wave. Who designed this for you?"

"Er, I did," I said, raising my hand.

Akiyama fixed me with me an unreadable look. He looked from the page, to me, and back again, lost in thought.

"You studying art?" He asked.

"No. I work in a cafe." I fidgeted in my lap, wondering why he had to ask so many questions. I just wanted to see it happen already, and the attention was making me anxious.

"Damn. You'd got talent, kid." The praise made me blush, even as he starting setting up the machine. "Ever think about doing an apprenticeship?"

The question came out of nowhere, and I certainly wasn't ready for it. Of course I'd never thought about it. I was too busy trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Art had only been an option recently.

"No," I answered.

"Then I suggest you think about it. You're young. You got talent, and you could learn, too."

"Uh, okay."

I glanced at Haru, who was smiling softly. I had no idea what to say, and I stored this conversation away for later.

Akiyama got his tattoo gun ready, pulling on gloves. "Where do you want the tattoo, Nanase?"

Haru put his hand over the right side of his chest, opposite his heart. "Here. Will it work?"

"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem. Take your shirt off."

Haru did, pulling his sweater and shirt off and handing them to me to hold. He laid down on the bed at Akiyama's instruction, and I watched as Akiyama cleaned the area with disinfectant. I rolled my chair as close as I could without getting in the way.

Akiyama looked over the drawing again, before walking Haru through the steps. It was going to take about two hours for the tattoo to be finished, given all the detail and color. Haru would be allowed breaks for a few minutes every now and then, but the hope was to get the whole thing done today.

I offered to hold Haru's hand throughout the process, but he refused, saying he could take the pain. Instead, I focused on the movements of Akiyama's hands as they prepared to start inking.

When the wurr of the gun finally filled the air and Akiyama got to work, I found myself frozen in my seat.

I stared, memorized, as the needle moved across Haru's smooth, pale skin. Ink blossomed and spread with the movement of Akiyama's practiced hand, shaping out my design perfectly. It was smooth and precise, and it was like the whole world fell away when he etched the art onto skin.

I was barely aware of my surroundings, eyes glued to the work in front of me. Haru barely made a sound, and when Akiyama said that we could talk, I bombarded him with questions.

How long had he been working as a tattoo artist? What made him want to design and ink tattoos? What were the different parts of the machine? How much training did he go through before he was a professional?

I asked all these questions and more, never having felt so excited before. It was like a whole new world had been opened to me, and I soaked up everything he said. Last time, I hadn't been able to see the process, since the tattoo was on my back. But this time, I watched the art come to life in front of me. _My_ art.

I paid full attention for the entire two hours. Every now and then, I would press soothing kisses to Haru's forehead, just to assure him that it was looking great and that it would be over soon. He didn't complain once, but he had to be in some pain.

When the gun was finally turned off and silence filled the air, I gaped at Haru's new tattoo. Akiyama gave him a mirror so he could see, and he drew in a sharp breath as soon as he laid eyes on it.

"It's beautiful," he said in awe, which was an understatement.

My design, while great on paper, was nothing compared to how it looked on flesh. The colors were bright and vibrant, and the dolphin looked alive. Haru looked extremely satisfied, and I myself was in complete awe.

"Let's wrap this baby up," Akiyama announced.

He wrapped up Haru's chest and gave him detailed instructions for how to take care of it to avoid infection. Then he patted Haru on the back and grinned.

"Happy Birthday, kid."

"Thank you," Haru said, expression bright with joy.

While Haru paid - I had insisted on paying, but Haru had refused, saying his grandma left him a lot of cash anyway - I was lost in my thoughts.

I had never felt so much excitement and thrill just by _watching_ something. I could only imagine how it would feel to be the one holding the tattoo gun, to bring my art to life myself.

I'd never wanted something so much in my life.

"You guys take care," Akiyama said, raising his hand in farewell.

Haru nodded and headed for the door, but I grabbed his hand and stopped. Haru looked at me questioningly, and I turned to Akiyama.

"About that apprenticeship..." I started, excitement bubbling up in me with every word. "How does that work?"

Akiyama grinned, looking like a proud parent. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a business card, handing it to me.

"Why don't you think it over and give me a call sometime? We can talk about it more and set up your hours if you're interested."

I felt my own grin forming and I took the card happily.

"Alright. I'll think about it."

When we left the parlor, Haru brought my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles.

"Thank you, Rin," he said, pulling me along down the street.

"What for?" I asked, not having done anything special.

"For an amazing birthday present. Your design is on my skin forever, and I love it."

He gently touched his fingertips to to his chest, right over where his tattoo was. He was smiling blissfully, and I couldn't help but blush. Anything I could do to make him smile was always a win.

"No problem. Besides, it was a cool experience for me, too." I looked down at the business card in my hands, reading and rereading the numbers over again.

"It looks to me like you found something you like. Are you going to call?"

I shrugged, stuffing the card in my pocket.

"Maybe. I'll think about and see."

But Haru fixed me with a knowing smile, and I dragged him along to the cafe, where his party was supposed to be held.

I thought about the card in my pocket all throughout the party, distracted even when I was dancing with Haru. Everyone asked about it, but I shrugged them off, avoiding Haru's smirk.

In the end, I did end up calling Akiyama the next day.

I secured an apprenticeship for three days a week, where I would watch and share my designs with him and get feedback. Sei was ecstatic, and my hours at the cafe were reduced so I could fit in my apprenticeship, but I hadn't been so happy in ages.

Drawing my own ideas, learning about tattoos and the process, and watching them blossom on to people's skin; it made me want to do what Akiyama could do, someday.

Maybe I wasn't so lost after all.

[ **HARU'S TATTOO** ](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0ttiOgIsK4uVWVFUWpOVi1GSVpNU2N3ZEpqanMwaUFyMmJN)  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The link at the end leads to the picture of Haru's tattoo. It's something I drew myself, since I wanted to have a visual to go with the description, so I spent hours looking up different references and trying to make everything fit. So I really hope you guys like it!  
> As for Gou, I wanted to try something different with her. I won't pretend to know everything about aromantic people, or the struggles they go through, since I have never met/read about anybody who is aromantic. But maybe Gou helped some people learn something today!  
> As always, thanks for reading!! :D


	29. So Glad I Found You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're glad, all of them, that they found each other. They couldn't have asked for anything better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this a few days early since it's a little on the short side. Hope you guys like it!

July flashed by in the blink of an eye. It was a little hectic, juggling my job at the cafe with my apprenticeship at Tiger Tattoos, while still keeping up a social life. Haru began to spend every Saturday night at my place, just so we could spend more time together and be a couple.

I couldn't complain, though. I was having more fun that I'd had in years. School wasn't really my thing, but learning all about tattoos up close and personal was a different story. Akiyama taught me every little thing, from what kinds of parts the tattoo gun was made of, to how to blend the colors together. He let me watch most of his sessions, giving out pieces of advice as he worked. The clients trusted him so much, and he explained that that was key.

When I finally got to work, I'd have to earn that trust for myself.

I brought my sketchbook along almost every time, and Akiyama and I would take an hour or so to just talk about designs and styles. I'd learned early on that while Akiyama looked like he'd beat you up if you so much as said a wrong word, he was actually a big softie who got excited over tattoos just as much as I did.

"You know what this means, right?" Sosuke asked me one day while we were working at the cafe. He had a small, sad smile on his face when he turned to me. "Soon enough, you'll be a professional tattoo artist. You won't need to work here anymore."

That was a scary thought; this place was special to me, it held so many great memories that it would be hard to let it go, even though I knew the day would come sometime.

"That's still a long way off," I said dismissively, and got back to work.

I didn't wanna think about that just yet.

The great part was that Haru loved his tattoo. Everyone expressed their awe over it when they first saw it (Gou more so over the muscles than the actual tattoo). And Haru really did stare at it everyday in the mirror, or that's what Makoto said, anyway. I felt so much pride over that tattoo; something that I designed was on Haru's _skin_ , for fuck's sake. And every time we had sex, I kissed and licked over it and worshipped the letters like nothing else

That didn't mean everything was perfect, of course. Haru and I had our fair share of stupid arguments. They were over the smallest things, like who got to top or finally having something other than mackerel when we ate together. The first time we yelled at each other, it was when Haru was completely silent for a day and wouldn't talk to me.

I knew he was thinking about his parents and how they just abandoned him. He sometimes got into that mindset, and the days that he felt like curling up in the dark all day were the ones where he wondered if he could have done something different to make them love him.

So I did my best to talk to him, to coax him out of his head and try to make him smile, because I couldn't stand seeing him like that. But one day he kept pushing me away so much that I got frustrated, which in turn made him snap and glare daggers at me.

"I told you to leave me alone!" He yelled, pulling his knees closer to his chest.

"I'm just trying to help!" I said, exasperated.

"I don't need your help, Rin. Go _away_."

"What, and leave you all alone in the dark so you can beat yourself up about something you can't change? Hell no!"

"And what would you know? I don't recall you having been through what I have."

That was a low blow; yeah, I hadn't gone through what he had, but I had been there for him when he needed me, and I was just trying to help.

"Dammit, Haru, how the fuck could you say that? I was there for you! I fucking cried for you!"

"No one asked you to, Rin. You could have left if you wanted to, it would have been easy. Now, go away. I don't want to see you."

"Fine! Fuck you, Haru!"

And I had stormed out of my own apartment, angry and hurt.

It wasn't until half an hour later, as I sat alone on the swings of an old playground, that I realized that maybe Haru was scared. He told me I could have left if I'd wanted to, that it would have been easy.

Because it was so easy for his parents to leave him.

It was stupid to think that I'd ever leave him like that. I loved him so much, I could never just walk out on him.

Until I realized that I had done just that.

I cried, because I was hurt that Haru thought I would be like that, but also because I was an idiot who left him alone after saying "fuck you." But more than anything, I cried because I didn't want him to hurt like that, and right then, he was suffering all alone.

I got up and ran back to my apartment, hastily wiping my tears as I let myself in. I found Haru still in my room, curled up under the blankets in the dark with only a mop of dark hair sticking out on top.

"Haru?" I asked softly, as I walked closer to the bed.

He curled up into himself even tighter, and I swallowed past the lump in my throat as I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, laying my hand gently on what I thought was his leg. "I was stupid, and I shouldn't have just left like that. But... But Haru, you need to know that I'll never leave you like they did. I might get angry or frustrated, but the bottom line is that I love you, and I don't want you being alone when you're thinking about them."

There was a moment of silence before he started moving, and the comforter was pulled down just enough to see his face. It was heartbreaking to see his cheeks wet with tears and his beautiful blue eyes bloodshot. He sat up slowly, staring at his knees.

"I know, I know that, it's just..." He took a deep breath, and when he looked up at me I could see the pain in his eyes. "I get... Scared. I wonder why, why was it so easy for them to just go like that? Did the last 21 years mean nothing to them? And then when I think like that, I think about how easy it would be for everyone in my life to leave. They could cut me out of their lives so easily, if they wanted to."

"But we don't want to," I urged. "You know we'd never do that."

"Perhaps not," he conceded. "But sometimes, I just need to be alone. If I want you to distract me, Rin, I'll let you know. But there are times I just want to let myself be alone and then come out to see you there, with your stupid grin and kissable lips, just waiting for me."

I was crying again, and I couldn't help myself from hugging him close. I was relieved when he hugged me back just as tightly.

"God, I'm so sorry, Haru."

"I know," he whispered. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said I didn't need you, it was a foolish thing to say. God knows I need you more than the air I need to breathe."

After that, it was an unspoken agreement that no matter what we fought about, we'd resolve it and apologize before going to bed that night. We were hopeless idiots in love, and it hurt too much to not talk for too long.

All of our friends seemed hopeless too. Makoto and Sei were the dream couple, acting lovey dovey even after all these months. Sei made special desserts for Makoto, who loved them and looked like an angel with that smile whenever he ate one. Sei was so gone for him, it wasn't even funny. They were everything a couple needed in a relationship: support, care, understanding, and so much love that it made everyone else puke.

Sei became an official cop near the end of July. He worked part time mostly, still helping us out at the cafe. He would walk into the cafe in full uniform and draw everyone's attention as he sauntered into the kitchen. I caught myself staring one day, and looked away quickly. I was _not_ that type of guy.

The worst part was when he teased Makoto while he was dressed like that. He'd be subtle about it since we were working, but I saw how Makoto was getting turned on by Sei's flirting and the uniform. And then Sei leaned in and whispered something I didn't hear, which promptly made Makoto squeak and flush and gave me images of those two doing things that I really shouldn't have been thinking about.

It wasn't hot at all, dammit.

Aside from them, MomoTori was the same as they'd always been, now with the addition of kissing and a lot more blushing. They were the best of friends, and it was always cavity inducing watching Momo be sweet to Ai and kiss him while holding his hand. They were like the baby couple of the group, which was weird but fitting.

Sosuke, to my great delight, was so much happier. We still went to the gym together on a regular basis and had our bro days, but seeing him try not to smile too much when he was with Keiji made me feel like a proud parent. Keiji brought out the best in him; he made Sosuke laugh and smile and lose some of his uptightness.

The two moved into a small apartment together in early August, saying they'd upgrade later when the need arose. Sosuke went to everyone of Keiji's exhibitions at his university, sometimes dragging me along with him. I went willingly; Keiji was a fantastic artist, and I learned a lot from him about watercolors and acrylics.

The pair that surprised us the most, though, were Nagisa and Rei. Though I guess it wasn't too surprising at all, given how they just fit together with no questions asked.

For Nagisa's birthday, his sisters got him two tickets to France for him and Rei. Nagisa was so excited, because even though he didn't speak a word of French, he was going to be spending two whole weeks in another country with his boyfriend. I'd never seen Rei smile so much, and the two left to spend their last two weeks of summer vacation in Europe.

What caught everyone off guard was when Nagisa called to tell us that they were getting married the next day.

"You're serious?!" I asked in surprise while everyone around me listened intently.

We were all gathered at Sei's house and my phone was on speaker, having decided to talk to Nagisa and Rei all together since time zones suck and there were so many of us.

"Yep!" Nagisa said excitedly. "Gay marriage is legal here! I found out yesterday, so the first thing I did was get a cheap ring and ask if Rei-chan wanted to give me his booty for the rest of our lives!"

"Nagisa-kun, I still disapprove of that phrase," Rei chimed in, sounding embarrassed.

"But I asked you properly after that! I said, 'Rei-chan, will you marry me? I love you so much, I always knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.' And you said yes! You even cried!"

When Rei didn't say anything, we all looked at each other in shock because _holy shit_ , Nagisa had actually proposed properly?!

We all had an impromptu engagement party through skype, and the next day we got together at the Mikoshiba's again to skype and bear witness to our friends' wedding.

The wedding was totally Western style, and the priest was awesome enough to let us witness it through skype. Nagisa and Rei had invited two more people, a lesbian couple named Adelia and Sophie, who they met at the hotel they were staying at and made fast friends with.

They'd rented tuxedos for an hour, both choosing to go with black. They looked amazing, and as we all sat down to hear them say their vows - Gou on my left and Haru on my right - I had to take a moment to just think about all of it.

It was so obvious that despite Nagisa's flamboyant personality being the complete opposite of Rei's, they loved each other more than we could possibly image. They'd been together longer than any of us, and it showed in the way Rei looked at Nagisa like the past few years were the best of his life, all because of him.

Nagisa didn't crack a single joke throughout the whole thing, saying his vows with heartfelt emotion and sincerity, and my hand was trembling where it held Haru's from just how much love I could feel through the computer screen.

When they kissed, we all cheered, even if the tears were still running down my cheeks. Their rings, while cheap and last minute, looked like priceless diamonds where they sat on their fingers. I'd never seen them look so happy before, but I thought they deserved it.

It was fitting that once they were pronounced husband and husband, Nagisa gave a big whoop and tackled Rei to the ground, peppering his face with kisses and stealing his glasses, all while yelling "The booty's mine!"

We all laughed, Makoto cuddled up with Sei and looking like a proud parent. Keiji cheered next to Sosuke, and Momo was yelling things like "Yeah, get it!" while Ai tried to calm him down half-heartedly.

Gou, now completely sure that she was aromantic, was crying and laughing at the same time, while wondering which one of us would be next.

When I looked over to Haru, he was smiling fondly, silent as always. But then he caught my eye, and his hand raised to wipe the tears away from my cheeks.

"Why are you crying, Rin?" He asked gently, eyes soft.

"I'm just... I'm happy for them, you know? It doesn't matter how much of a little shit Nagisa is, he's got Rei and they deserve this."

"Hmm, you're right." His fingers slid into my hair, and I couldn't take my eyes off him.

He was so beautiful, and he looked at me like I was something precious. It made me want to cry all over again, knowing he loved me just as much as I loved him.

"I'm happy too, Rin," he said quietly, and it was like we were in our own world. "I'm happy for my two friends, who have each other and can spend the rest of their lives together. I'm happy because even though my mind isn't allowing me to be fully free, I have my friends, and I have you. And every day is a blessing, because I can look at all these people and be proud of what I have and who I share it all with. Every day is another step towards being completely free of the thoughts that plague my mind."

Haru grinned, a grin that took my breath away with its beauty.

"And every day," he said, eyes shining, "I get to look at you and wonder if I was really just looking for a place to work, that day last September, or if something greater was calling out to me and pulling me towards that cafe and the best thing that's ever happened to me."

He punctuated the statement with a kiss, and I couldn't help but smile against his lips. That day all those months ago, I was just a teenager who had no real purpose in life. But then I met a gorgeous, mysterious, blue eyed student who wore nothing but sweaters, and a new chapter of my life began. Now, as I slowly kissed that same man, ignoring everything around me, I felt like everything we'd been through, all the good and the bad, was worth it.

And yeah, I was happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go, guys. It's already written, but I'm going to wait a dew days to post it since I'm getting ready for a few other things.


	30. Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four years later, Rin has pretty much everything he could ever ask for. Life is good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys. With the addition of one new tag, this story is coming to a close.  
> I want to say thank you to everyone's read this fic, whether you've been here since the beginning or if you've just binge-read this in one night. Thanks for sticking with ILYAL!  
> Make sure to read the end notes, because there's some really IMPORTANT stuff in there!!!!!  
> (the song at the beginning is "She Looks so Perfect" by 5sos)

**Four years later**

_Let's get out,_

_Let's get out,_

_'Cause this deadbeat town's only here just to keep us down,_

_While I was out,_

_I found myself alone just thinkin,_

_If I showed up with a plane ticket,_

_And a shiny diamond ring with your name on it,_

_Would you wanna run away too?_

_'Cause all I really want is you._

** Haru **

"Remind me again why I'm stuck helping you move?" I asked, lifting the last of the boxes.

"Because everyone else was busy. Trust me, Nanase, I don't like it either."

"I'm only doing this for Keiji, and because Rin asked me to. There are much better ways I could be spending my day."

"Yeah, yeah. You're such a fucking asshole, Nanase. I hate you too."

I tossed a smirk over my shoulder. "You're right. I do fuck Rin's asshole."

And then I walked into the lobby while Sosuke yelled, "Why the fuck would you say that, you shit head?! I did _not_ need that image in my head!"

Yamazaki, or Sosuke, and I had been on first name terms for a couple of years of now. After suffering through countless double dates with him and Keiji, we grudgingly admitted that the other wasn't so bad. We didn't hate each other, but that didn't mean it wasn't amusing to make him angry.

Now, on a sunny Saturday afternoon in September, I was helping him move into the larger, more spacious apartment that he and Keiji had gotten together. I didn't mind too much, though I would have prefered to not be working on my rare day off. But it was for Keiji and because Rin had asked me to, so I was here piling into the elevator with Sosuke and a dozen boxes as I helped him move in.

It was a nice apartment, I thought as we walked through door. There was one large bedroom and a separate studio where Keiji could work on his paintings. Ever since his his first watercolor landscape had sold to a wealthy man at an art exhibit, he was becoming more and more in demand amongst a specific group of art enthusiasts.

Sosuke, on the other hand, had graduated with a degree in psychology, saying how important mental health was. While the two were complete opposites in their careers, they fit together perfectly.

"Just put that box by the rest," Sosuke said, putting down the three boxes he was carrying. His biceps bulged from beneath his black shirt, and I had a feeling he was just showing off.

I did as I was told, looking around at all the boxes we had gathered. There were labels such as "Art Supplies" and "Bedroom Stuff ;)", the second making me roll my eyes.

"So," Sosuke said, passing me a water bottle. I took it gratefully; after moving furniture and boxes all morning, I was parched. "When's the book gonna be published?"

I smiled, as I often did when my writing was mentioned.

"Next month, most likely. I've finished all the editing, and Amakata-san is just giving it one more once over before sending it to the publishers."

He nodded, offering me a clap on the back, even as he kept his gaze averted. We had developed a strange sort of camaraderie over the years, one we denied we had.

Two years ago, I had finally gotten serious about wanting to publish one of my works. The book I had written for Makoto would remain unpublished for years to come, but I had wanted my poetry to be out there and be read by others.

Finding an editor had been a long process, but I finally came across a young woman named Miho Amakata. She was sweet and clueless at times, but she did her job well and had talked to me all about the editing and publishing process. Months later, after much time and effort on revising my poetry, my first book of poems was published and sold throughout Japan.

Gaining readers was slow work, especially since I had decided to be open in my sexuality from the very beginning. But there were people who looked beyond my relationship to my actual work, and that number grew when I published my first, real book last year.

The plot was riveting, a reviewer said. The characters were deep and the themes were eye opening. And as the number of copies sold grew, so did my confidence, and I announced a sequel not long after.

Now, as a young, published author, I was making a future for myself and for my partner.

"Well, this shit's done," Sosuke said as he stretched. "Keiji and I can sort through the stuff later. So, uh, you know... Thanks, Haru."

I smiled, replacing the cap on the water bottle again.

"You're welcome. But next time, make sure your boxes are taped shut tightly. It must have been embarrassing when your dildo fell out in front of that old lady."

"You asshole," he growled.

"Watch your language, Yamazaki."

"Then watch your assholery, Nanase."

I chuckled, rolling my shoulders and looking around.

"I think we should get going, then," I said. Glancing at my phone, I saw that it was almost 3 o'clock. We were supposed to be at the Sharkbait Cafe in fifteen minutes.

"Yeah, alright. Let's head on out."

He locked the door and we took the elevator down to the lobby again and headed out. The apartment complex was a good train ride away from the cafe, but Sosuke had a car, so we climbed in. As he drove, I looked out the window, watching the houses roll by.

I was looking forward to spending the day with friends.

* * *

 

**Rin**

"Sora!" I called, going down the stairs with purpose.

I checked the time on my phone, noticing that I didn't have much time if I wanted to stop by the shop before heading to the cafe.

I stopped on the landing, grinning when a large, black and white Siberian Husky came bounding over. I ruffled his fur, getting a happy bark from him as his electric blue eyes locked onto me.

"Hey, boy. Where's Hiro?"

Sora barked again, trotting into the living room as I followed close behind. Hiro was curled up on a cushion, orange fur glowing under the light and whiskers twitching.That cushion was his favorite spot to nap, besides our bed.

Haru and I had moved into his house when he was in his last year of university. With Makoto having plans on getting a place with Sei, Haru had mentioned that his grandmother's home was sitting vacant without anyone to live in it, so we moved in before the new school year started. It was a bit of a commute to go from here to Haru's university and my job at the cafe, but it was worth it.

We had so many plans for the house, our first being installing a pool when we had the money. That goal was still a ways off, but I knew we could do it.

I had talked about wanting a dog for years, and eight months ago, we had adopted Sora when he was just two months old. He was a great companion, loyal and protective but friendly all the same. He went on my morning jogs with me, wagging his tail happily whenever he saw another dog. To put it simply, Sosuke now shared the title of best friend with Sora.

Aa for Hiro, the cat that lived close the shrine gave birth to a litter of kittens four months ago. We found out because Makoto was fond of that cat, having known her since she was a kitten and developing a strong bond with her. He cried when the cat died after giving birth, and made it his mission to find all five kittens a good home.

He and Sei kept two of them, a pure white female and her midnight black brother. Ai, who opened up his own animal shelter with the help of his parents, decided to keep two as well. Momo had no complaints, excited over the baby kittens as he cooed at them.

The last one, an orange boy with beautiful, darker orange markings, was brought to us. Makoto had begged Haru and I to take him in, knowing we'd take good care of him. And really, who can say no to an angel like Makoto? So of course, we decided to keep the kitten and name him Hiro, worried at first that Sora wouldn't get along with him.

As it turned out, there wasn't really anything to worry about. Sora sniffed Hiro and listened to his soft meows for all of one minute, then gave him a huge lick and barked, tail blurring with how hard he wagged it. From then on, we became a sort of family, and we sometimes took Sora and Hiro over to Makoto and Sei's - who lived just a block over - to play with their cats.

I stroked Hiro's fur for a moment, listening to him purr before straightening up and looking at Sora. He sat at attention, looking up at me as if waiting for orders.

"Alright, Sora," I said seriously. "I'm counting on you to look after the house, alright? Don't let Hiro scratch the cushions, and if anyone tries to break in, you tackle 'em, got it?"

He barked in response, as if he understood.

"Good boy," I praised, patting his head.

I went to the front door and slipped on my converse sneakers, liking the way they went with my navy blue jeans and short sleeved band tee. Short sleeves or no sleeves were my thing now, since I had something to show off.

About a year ago, I'd gotten a new tattoo. Or two, to be precise. The first was a matching tattoo that I've gotten with Haru, one that spoke volumes about our relationship. Together, we'd gotten each other's names tattooed on our chests, right over our hearts. Now, every time I looked in the mirror, I would see the kanji for Haruka Nanase written in Haru's elegant script. That tattoo was surrounded by another, much larger one. My left arm was a full sleeve of light pink cherry blossoms. They went up my arm and halfway across my chest, a smattering of petals running down my side. When the blossoms reached the tattoo of Haru's name, they formed a protective circle around it before continuing on and stopping before they reached my right pec.

I loved my tattoos so much, each one holding a specific meaning for me.

After tying my shoes, I grabbed my keys and headed out, getting hyped.

Today was gonna be a good day, I could feel it.

Parked out front was my pride and joy, a sleek, black and red motorcycle that gleamed in the sunlight. As soon as we were settled enough, I'd gotten a motorcycle license and bought this bad boy. It was an effort getting it up and down the steps leading up to the house, but it was worth it.

As I passed by Makoto's family home, I looked over to see the gate open and Tachibana-san working in her garden. I greeted her happily, being told in response that Haru and I had to come over for dinner soon. Ren and Ran, now in high school, missed us, apparently. I promised that we would, and then put on my helmet and revved up the engine.

I always felt a rush as I sped through the streets, the wind blowing through my hair, which was just a little bit longer now. Dodging cars gave me a thrill, something that Haru would say was dangerous, but just egged me on even more.

Ten minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of my other pride and joy, and I killed the engine. Stepping off the bike, I secured my helmet to it and checked the time.

I had just enough time to be in and out and still make it to the cafe in time.

I walked up to the doors of Scarlet Ink and pushed them open, greeted with the sounds of tattoo guns whirring and familiar laughter brightening up the place.

"Oi, Kagami," I said as soon as I stepped inside. The man in question rolled out of his cubicle on his chair, raising a brow.

"Your wallet's on your desk," he said dismissively, waving a hand.

I nodded and headed over to my own work space, finding the wallet that I'd forgotten to take home with me last night. Scooping it up, I figured I might as well see what everyone was doing while I was there anyway.

Taiga Kagami was just wrapping up a woman's arm after tattooing it, it looked like. His deep red hair was the same shade as his eyes, which were focused intently on the woman's arm he was bandaging. His eyebrows were as crazy as usual, and he wore the black shirt everyone at the parlor was required to wear. His right arm was a sleeve of a bunch of different tattoos, each one symbolizing something different that happened in his life. There were a pair of ring necklaces to symbolize his bond with his 'brother', Tatsuya Himuro, and a basketball to remind him of the time he played before his knee injury. Paw prints represented Nigou, the dog he both loved and was scared of, and a set of keys to symbolize when he first moved in with his partner. Together, those little tattoos and all the rest created a larger, much more defined tattoo. They made up a chain that wound up around his arm, to show the chain of events that led him to where he was today and everything that made him who he was.

I'd met Kagami when I was doing the apprenticeship with Akiyama. He signed on too, already having some knowledge when it came to tattoos. At the time, he was studying both business and art in university, and we became fast friends. Two years later and whole lot of experience under our belts, we decided to open up our own tattoo parlor, with Kagami handling most of the business stuff and me in charge of training whoever else we hired. And that was how Scarlet Ink was born, a tattoo parlor that did piercings too.

It was a nice place, if I said so myself. Standing outside the shop, the first thing you'd notice were the words "Scarlet Ink" written in a clean cut and flowy font. The doors and front were made of glass, so a lot of natural light lit up the place. The floors were made of a light oak, and the walls were abstract with black, red, and white colors. Quotes about life and freedom were scattered around the walls, and there was art, mostly Keiji's,  hung up here and there, along with some of the designs each of the artists did. The couches and big swivel chairs in the waiting area were made of black leather, and magazines and books filled with different forms of tattoos and art were stacked neatly on a table for the clients to look at. The reception desk was made of deep cherry wood almost matching the walls, and each cubicle was made of glass and several feet away from each other. One side of the cubicles was made up of a mirror, so the client could see their reflection. The whole place was just an open plane, so no other walls closed off the place. To top it all off, speakers played music by various bands softly, adding a beat to the whirring of machines.

There were six cubicles, one for each employee, including me and Kagami. My cubicle was pretty messy, my desk piled high with papers and drawings, which was probably why I had forgotten to take my wallet last night.

"I thought you were taking the day off today?" Takao asked from behind the counter.

"Tch. It's because he forgot his wallet like an idiot," Midorima said. He pushed his black framed glasses up the bridge of his nose, cool as always.

Kazunari Takao doubled as the receptionist and a piercer. He was the bubbliest of the group, always getting on Midorima's nerves but filling the place up with laughter all the same. His straight black hair framed his silvery-blue eyes, which glimmered with mischief half the time. Takao had both his lobes pierced, and even a tongue ring that I heard drove Midorima, who was actually his boyfriend, crazy.

The tall, green headed bastard in question was always blunt and serious. He had hibiscus flowers tattooed across his back, saying something about appreciating their meaning. The fingers of his left hand were bandaged all the time for whatever reason, only unwrapping them when he got to work on tattoos. Everyday, he had a different "lucky item" with him, because apparently the zodiac and some shit called Oha Asa ruled his life.

I'd probably get into a ton of fights with Midorima if he wasn't so much bigger and taller than me. Plus, he was a pretty awesome tattoo artist, so I grudgingly gave him my respect. He was the one who had designed and given me my cherry blossom tattoo, after all.

And wasn't that a peachy experience. While Midorima was amazing at designing in a more traditional, refined style, he also called us all idiots every single day. So while he was tattooing me, I had to do my best not to shed a single tear, or else I wouldn't hear the end of it.

Scarlet Ink had two more employees, two more glasses guys by the names of Shoichi Imayoshi and Junpei Hyuuga. Imayoshi, with his messy dark hair and squinty eyes, was kind of an asshole. Which, of course, meant that he fit right in with the rest of the group. He did both tattoos and piercings, and he and Midorima were constantly arguing about one thing or another. It was great entertainment, watching him having so much fun getting under Midorima's skin, and the rest of us would usually bet on how long Midorima would last before he snapped.

But that was before Hyuuga, with his short black hair and narrow eyes, kicked us all into gear and scolded us for not working. Even though Kagami and I owned the place, Hyuuga acted like the real boss, and none of us could really argue with that. He was encouraging and calm most of the time, but he had a habit of hitting Kagami upside the head for being an idiot and wasting time. He and Imayoshi were both two years older than the rest of us, and we kind of thought of then as our senpais.

"Hey, isn't today the big day?" Imayoshi asked as he rolled out his cubicle. He sat backwards on his chair, his arms resting on the backrest. "Midorima here's been even pricklier than usual. I think he's upset you didn't invite him."

"Oi, shut up, idiot," Midorima said, scowling. "Stop spreading lies."

"Wait, is that true, Shin-chan?" Takao asked his boyfriend curiously. "Did you wanna go too?"

"I couldn't care less about being invited," Midorima deadpanned. "All of Matsuoka's friends are too cheerful for my liking. Especially that blond one."

"Nagisa can be a little shit," I agreed with affection.

"Do you have a plan, Matsuoka-kun?" A new, softer voice asked.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, turning to see a head of blue hair that I hadn't noticed at all before.

"Dammit Kuroko, I told you not to sneak up on me like that!" I exclaimed, willing my heart to stop racing.

Tetsuya Kuroko shrugged, his sky blue eyes boring into me.

"I've been here the whole time," he insisted. "It's not my fault you hadn't noticed me."

Well, he was right, but fuck if I actually noticed him for once. It was like he always popped up out of nowhere, scaring even Kagami sometimes.

Kuroko visited the parlor a lot, coming mostly just to sit with Kagami, who was his boyfriend. When he'd met Haru for the first time, the two had instantly clicked, both being silent and often complaining about their redheaded boyfriends together.

"You didn't answer my question, Matsuoka-kun. Do you have a plan?"

I shrugged, looking down at my shoes and blushing.

"Not really," I admitted, getting a snicker from Imayoshi. What an asshat. "But I'll figure it out."

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Takao encouraged.

Kagami, who was done bandaging the woman and had sent her on her way, fixed me with his gaze.

"You nervous, Rin?" He asked softly.

I smiled, shaking my head and rubbing the back of my neck.

"Not really," I answered honestly. "I mean, I already know what's gonna happen, Taiga. We've talked about it before, it's just that now it's gonna be a reality. Just get some butterflies everytime I think about it."

"How fucking cute!" Takao commented, getting a smack on the arm from Midorima.

"Why aren't you guys working?" A low voice demanded. Our heads snapped up to see Hyuuga standing by his cubicle with his arms folded, looking between each of us. "Matsuoka, you're not supposed to be here today."

"I know, just had to get my wallet," I said, earning a nod before he turned his attention to the others.

"None of us have an appointment for the next few minutes," Kagami explained.

"That doesn't mean you can slack off, Bakagami," Hyuuga retorted, earning a laugh from everyone.

"Dammit, why'd I let Aomine call me that in front of you guys?" Kagami muttered to himself.

I grinned, clapping him on the back.

"Don't worry, Bakagami," I said with a wink. "We still love you."

"Of course we do," Imayoshi added, looking like the definition of pure evil.

Midorima rolled his eyes, grunting when Takao plopped himself down on his lap.

"Matsuoka, you're running low on time, you know," Hyuuga pointed out.

He was right; I had to get moving if I wanted to make it to the cafe in time for our little gathering. But before I could run out of the parlor at top speed, Hyuuga smiled and and held out his fist.

"Good luck," he said, all traces of irritation gone.

I couldn't help my grin as I bumped his fist with my own. "Thanks."

"Don't faint from the anxiety!" Imayoshi called out unhelpfully.

Kagami clapped me on the back in support, and Takao gave me a thumbs up for good luck while Kuroko smiled. Even Midorima managed a smile, wishing me the best, his expression a hundred times softer than usual.

"Thanks, guys. I'll let you know how it goes!"

And with that, I was rushing out of the parlor and climbing onto my bike, slipping on my helmet as I revved up the engine.

I raced through the streets toward the familiar cafe I'd known for years, excitement bubbling up in my chest. Even though none of the original staff worked there anymore, the place was still special to us, and the Mikoshiba's let us use it for special gatherings when it was closed.

When I got there, I took a moment to breathe deeply before I walked inside, greeted by the familiar scent of coffee.

Behind the counter was a sight that brought back a rush of pleasant memories from when I was just nineteen. Sosuke was leaning against the countertop with Ai standing next to him, as if the two still worked there and were ready to take orders. I might have actually believed that no time had passed, if it wasn't for Ai's longer hair and his sharper jawline. He was taller, his features less boyish and more handsome than cute.

He still called me Rin-senpai, for whatever reason, but I didn't bother correcting him anymore. It was something that just stuck over the years.

Keiji stood across from Sosuke, dressed in a black button up with the sleeved rolled up and his new combat boots. His whiskey eyes winked at me, and I grinned back. Sosuke and Ai greeted me with smiles and waves, and then I turned to the rest of my friends. Makoto, now a firefighter, was sitting at a table next to Sei, whose grin was as bright as always. Nagisa was talking Rei's ear off, but his husband didn't seem to mind. He listened closely, nodding along and waving at me. Momo was having a heated conversation with Gou, and it was shocking how much they'd both grown up. Momo had gotten taller and he'd matured just the tiniest bit, though he still pulled pranks with Nagisa whenever he could. Gou was even more beautiful now than she was in his first year of university. She was independent and strong, but despite that, she always looked up to me and called me "Onii-chan" with the same amount of affection as she did when we were kids.

My eyes found their way to a well-known table by the window. There he sat, the light streaming through the glass and making his skin glow, his deep, sapphire eyes shimmering. The sleeves of his blue sweater were pulled down to his fingertips, and when he looked up at me with a fond smile, I found myself breathless even after all this time.

It was like the day I first met him all over again.

Haru rested his chin on his palm as I went over. I stooped over to kiss his lips when he tilted his head up, taking the seat from across him.

"I'm feeling very nostalgic today," he said.

I leaned back in my chair, watching him. "You too? I can't stop remembering what it was like to work here. We made so many great memories, it's hard to believe I don't come here everyday anymore."

"It is, isn't it? This cafe was where it all started."

It really was, in so many ways. Relationships began in this small little cafe. Friends were made, laughter was shared, and our group came together here. It was like this place was the starting block for new beginnings, and I had no doubt that that would be the case today, too.

Haru and I chatted for a while, and I asked him all about how the move went with Sosuke. He complained a bit, but I could tell he wasn't really that annoyed with it. He just liked acting irritated whenever Sosuke was brought up.

After that, I went around to talk to the others for a bit. While there wasn't an official reason for getting together today (or so it seemed), no one questioned it and took this opportunity to hang out.

"This creepy guy was totally hitting on me yesterday," Nagisa was saying, bouncing in his seat. "But I flashed him my ring and said 'Sorry, I already got myself a fine pair of asscheeks.' You should've seen his face! He didn't bother me after that."

"Nagisa-kun, why on earth would you ever say that to someone?" Rei asked, completely embarrassed. "You could have politely told him that you were taken, and he would have understood."

"But what's the fun in that?" Nagisa countered. "It's better to tell them straight up that there's only one guy I wanna bang, and that's my Rei-chan!"

Rei looked torn between being flattered and wanting to crawl into a hole and die, a pretty funny combination. Sosuke passed me a soda, and I gulped it down quickly. He was looking at me with intensity, and I knew what he wanted to ask, but I wouldn't let him.

"Soon, okay?" I said hurriedly, before he could say anything. "Just... Gimme a few minutes."

He raised his brow skeptically, and I turned away. It was bad enough that I was actually starting to feel nervous, I didn't need him pressuring me. It was stupid, anyway. There was no reason for me to feel nervous at all. We'd talked about this before, it was a sure thing. But now that the time had finally come, the damn butterflies in my stomach were fluttering so hard I was sure they'd drop dead.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Haru got up and wandered over to Makoto, silently listening to whatever story he was telling. On shaky legs, I made my way to the coffee machines behind the counter, tapping into my coffee making skills that were still legendary.

I whipped up a latte that was Haru's favorite, and then spent a few minutes on making art out of the foam. Nervous as I was, I still smiled when I looked down at the finished product. The dolphin and shark reminded me of the picture I'd drawn for Hruu for our very first Christmas together.

With that done, I took a deep breath, and walked back around the counter to where everyone else was.

I stood for a moment and just listened to my friends' conversations, a part of me not wanting to interrupt. But when I cleared my throat, everyone stopped talking abruptly and turned their attention to me.

"Er..." I started awkwardly, scratching at the sleeve of my cherry blossom tattoo.

I glanced around at everyone and breathed in their silent support, before going up to Haru and offering him a shy smile.

"I, uh, I made this for you," I said, holding out the coffee cup

"Thank you, Rin," Haru said, taking the cup and looking confused but grateful all the same.

"I don't know if you remember," I said, watching him look over the dolphin and shark carefully. "But I made a dolphin out of the foam in your latte on the day we first met."

"I remember," he said softly, gazing at the coffee as if it held all the answers. "That was the day you told me you admired me for having a passion in life."

I nodded, rubbing my tongue ring against the roof of my mouth to get my thoughts in order. But I didn't really need to, because with Haru, everything just came naturally.

"I thought you were so cute when I first saw you," I admitted, and Haru looked at me curiously. "With your oversized sweater and pretty blue eyes. I think I started crushing on you from that very moment."

The cafe was quiet, everyone watching and listening with rapt attention. Haru kept his eyes locked on me, and I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to figure out what I was getting at.

"Everyday, I hoped you'd come in so I could stare at you from behind the counter, maybe even talk to you on my breaks," I continued. "You never said much, but when you did, it was like listening to the waves break the surface of the shore. You caught my attention and sucked me in, and from then on, I just couldn't look away.

"After that first day, I just kept falling for you, so much that it got scary at times. I wanted you more than I've ever wanted anything, to the point where I pretended that shopping for a new sweater was a date. I even invited you to spend Christmas with me and my family, and that was probably the smartest thing I'd ever done. 'Cause I found out that you felt the same way about me, and that was all the Christmas gift I needed."

Haru's head tilted in question, obviously not getting why I was remembering so many details from our first year together. I just smiled and went on, resisting the urge to slip my fingers into his hair.

"We've been through so much together, Haru. We got through your parents disowning you, and all the emotional trauma that brought with it. You were there for me every year on the anniversary of my father's death. Everyday, we worked on making you free, and we got there, somehow." I gently placed my hand over his Free! tattoo, which was hidden by his sweater. "We helped each other pull through, and somehow we ended up here, making our dreams come true together.

"I don't think you realize how much you're changed me. You made my life infinitely better just by loving me, and I love coming home everyday and seeing you there. You're everything to me, Haru. I can't imagine myself without you."

My throat started to close up and the tears were stinging at my eyes. I wiped at them furiously, frustrated at myself for being so emotional.

"Fuck, I swore I wouldn't cry."

"Rin," Haru began, but I cut him of. I needed to finish this before I started crying for real.

"Just-just let me finish this, Haru. Fuck, I don't think you realize how much I love you. I got your name tattooed over my heart because I know you're it for me, I'll never want anyone else. And could I ask for anyone better than you? You're so smart and you make me want to do amazing things so you can be proud of me. My heart aches even when I'm right next to you, because somehow I got lucky enough to have you love me."

"Rin," Haru said earnestly, his eyes shining.

At this point, it was like the world consisted of only the two of us. I barely registered that there were people around me, my focus completely on the gorgeous man standing before me.

"Now your dolphin shares that space with my shark," I said, sniffling. "And God, I want that for the rest of my life. I want to be able to wake up next to you every morning till the day I die, kiss you and tell you that you're perfect forever. I want to make you laugh everyday, because your smile's what I live for. I want to be able to look at you when we're seventy, and tell you I love you even then. So I have to ask, Haru..."

Swallowing thickly, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the tiny, black box that had been sitting there all day. I heard Haru's breath catch and his eyes widened, locked on the box as I brought it up.

"Will you marry me, Haru?" I asked softly, tears finally slipping down my cheeks. "And let us spend the rest of our lives together?"

" _Rin_ ," Haru breathed, and I opened the box to show the simple, silver band with a wave pattern etched onto the surface. His eyes flicked up to mine, and he broke out into the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen.  "Yes. There was never a doubt in the first place."

All at once, our friends burst out into cheers. Crying for real now, I took the ring out of the box with trembling fingers and slipped it onto Haru's left hand. He had to put his coffee down so he could throw his arms around my neck, and I wrapped mine around his waist and pulled him close, meeting his lips in an urgent kiss.

When we pulled back, Haru wiped my tears away and rested his forehead against my own.

"You're so cheesy, Rin," he chuckled, and everyone laughed.

"Rin-chan! You didn't get down on one knee!" Nagisa said, looking like I had personally offended his ancestors. "Stop crying and do it right!"

"Fuck off," I muttered, burying my face into the crook of Haru's neck. He stroked my hair lovingly while everyone congratulated us, Gou tackling us with a squeal of "Haru-nii!"

It was blissful, really, being able to be here with my greatest friends as I gave my heart to Haru for good. And Haru himself was shining brighter than the sun itself, looking at me like I was the center of his world.

He was mine, that was for sure, and the gleaming silver ring on his finger was proof enough.

 **  
**  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiro was actually based off of my own cat, who also goes by the name of Hero xD (I love my cat, okay. He's a jerk sometimes but he's fricken awesome and gorgeous)  
> Anyway, 8 months of my life have come to a close. ILYAL is done, and I'm pretty sad to see it go...  
> So I figured, why not write a sequel?  
> YEP! ILYAL is having a sequel, because who doesn't want a RinHaru wedding? The story, Tattooed on my Heart, is yet to be written, but the first chapter should be up in a few weeks!  
> But wait, there's more! This au will also have one-shots for each pairing, so if you wanna know how Rei and Nagisa met, then stay tuned!!  
> BUT WAIT, there's more! I'm also working on another RinHaru/Free! AU, which should be up soon! I'm super excited for it!  
> I'll be posting about these works on my tumblr (sharkbait-rin), so if you wanna stay in the know how, check it out!  
> A sequel, one-shots, and a whole other au...what am I getting myself into? (Thanks for reading!)


End file.
